Ningen Impossibilities
by Villagefox
Summary: Rin has always aspired to be everything her lord needed; faithful, loyal, strong and wise. But amidst war, treachery and conflictions of the heart, she desires most what she cannot have. Where demons are superior, Rin finds she must fight for everything she wants; most notably the ice cold heart of her Sesshoumaru. Poor girl, she knows not that it is but ningen folly. Impossible.
1. Preface to the Impossible

**[A/N] Whoop here we go again! Another one by the Villagefox. Cookies go to whoever can pick out a character similar with P&C description wise. ENJOY!**

* * *

**Ningen Impossibilities **

**Preface**

Rin knew she was in love with him at 14. She had out grown her favorite kimono of orange and yellow shapes; she had out grown her next traveling kimono of yellow and purple flowers; and when she had her 14 birthday (an always small celebrated day) Sesshoumaru had given her a kimono that made her fall in love. But at nine-teen she had realized that of course back then the kind of love she had thought was real was just the surface of the suffering love that she had for him now.

* * *

**[Thirteen yr. old Rin]**

"Jaken-sama!!" Rin splashed happily in a deep stream that ran parallel to their tread.

"Insufferable ningen! Will you stop splashing me girl!" The toad shrieked, flailing his Nintoujou toward the lively girl. Rin paused and checked for her lord. As usual he was several meters away walking with no hesitations about leaving the two to squabble alone. With one final splash at Jaken the girl let her long legs carry her as fast as she could to her Lord, leaving poor Jaken in the dust.

"Rin," the stoic demon chided. With a little pout the girl ran back, picked up a wrangling kappa and sprinted back to Sesshoumaru, dropping the kappa unceremoniously.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, will we reach the palace soon?" Rin asked, looking up to her Lord. She knew for her age and species she was tall, reaching his brightly colored obi. A slight nod was her only affirmative and she frolicked around picking random flowers, smelling them and either keeping them or discarding them for her next flower crown. The trio kept themselves busy until well into nightfall. The moon was high when Sesshoumaru decided to stop. Being accustomed to her Lords long journeys, Rin was neither winded nor tired, but rest was welcoming just the same. By her calculations, they would reach the palace by this time tomorrow; depending on how early Sesshoumaru woke them.

The Lord himself kept watch over his dysfunctional companions. He could smell age coming to Rin, the scent of adolescence, and reproduction. He cocked his head to the side silently assessing her. She was strong for a ningen. She was strong for her gender and her age. He was proud of her, but this small revelation was awkward to the Lord. Now, however was a crossroad in her life. Soon her own time of mating would come; instinct would call her to look for a suitable male, settle down and reproduce her own kind. And he, Sesshoumaru, should release her then.

He had always known he would have to give her up. It was customary of the short ningen life span. Only thirteen years of her life, only five of them spent with him. The girl in question sighed in her sleep. She slept on soft moss found at the base of a large tree demon named Nyu-Osuki. He was a landmark, only one day's journey left until Sesshoumaru reached his home. The demon leapt high into Osuki's branches and fixed his gaze on the moon, subconsciously fixing his ears to that of his companion. Soon the day of Rin's birth would arrive. He had made sure to make it to his abode by then. Although he was not sure of what day it was exactly, he had a general idea. It was most likely a day in high spring.

Such a day suited Rin.

* * *

**[Sixteen yr. old Rin]**

As Lady of the palace it was Rin's job to keep everything in order. Nothing could be out of place, dinner must be on time, guest quarters were always to be kept clean, tea always at the ready to be prepared and most of all, Sesshoumaru's whims done. The Inutaisho was a picky and almost quirky Lord and Rin found it her purpose to please him. Everything had to be immaculate, or as close to such as possible. But a thought had recently dawned on her.

This also meant that she herself had to be perfect.

Rin had realized as much when a young female lizard youkai had stolen from the palace. She wasn't sure how he knew, and hadn't been aware of anything until she saw all the servants gathered in the common room. All the shoji doors had been open and the sunlight streamed into the whole palace lighting up the enormous expanse. Rin was the last to arrive, carting old scrolls in a delicate cloth satchel, she prepared to climb the steps and take them to her Lord's personal library. However the gathering stopped her and the sight of Sesshoumaru looking down on a small bowed youkai with the coldest expression, alarmed her. Sesshoumaru never looked that detached unless he planned to take a life.

"_Insolent girl, I let you work here, sleep here, in my house and you steal from me." He stated rather blandly, speaking so low Rin strained to hear him. It was not a question. Still the little lizard tried to beg and plead bowing more into the hard wooden floors than Rin thought possible. The air was tense. Some, who knew Sesshoumaru longer, looked away already knowing the poor girls fate. Some looked with hope and pity, thinking she may survive. "No one will bring shame to my home. There is no excuse." Sesshoumaru stared into her and with a flick of his wrist severed her head completely. All her cries ended abruptly and blood pooled rapidly toward the Lord. Turning without another word he glided past Rin up the stairs and into his library. Immediately the mess was being cleaned and her body wrapped and escorted outside. Rin watched for a moment, dwelling on his words. Unconsciously she began to ascend the steps._

_It was known that Sesshoumaru kept a human ward. It was known that humans were far inferior to youkai. It was also known that Sesshoumaru had no tolerance for the inferior. Did Rin bring shame to his house? Rin had questioned her status ever since then. _

_Making her decision, Rin had done all she could do to be perfect in his eyes. She pushed herself physically, striving to be quicker, stronger, more agile and more reflexive. Mentally she pushed herself to become smarter, quick witted, intuitive and wise. She became the perfect lady and Sesshoumaru said he would allow her to take combat training when she had reached sixteen. Rin planned to become just as flawless in this realm as well. She wanted nothing more than to please her Lord. It was by this age that she had reckoned her love was a little deeper than her appreciation for new kimonos. _

Rin stared at the rising sun; it's glowing intensifying every moment.

"Meditation Rin?"

Rin whipped around, annoyed with herself for not noticing the youkai before he reached her. "Oh Himatori-sensei! You scared me." Rin laughed nervously. She raised her bokkun in a defensive stance and the two wasted no time sparring. Rin could feel that the strength of wolf youkai more. She could feel the power in every swing and Rin did not delude herself in thinking that in any way would she have an actual chance had this youkai suddenly decided to kill her.

Resentment started to bubble up in her chest. Why couldn't she have been born youkai? Why did she have to be so inferior? Unnoticeably the ningen's swings became filled with emotion and the girl took it out on her sparring partner.

Himatori studied his pupil. This was not the first time Rin would begin practice, then suddenly her aura and demeanor would change and she would unleash pent up emotions she had been feeling. The old youkai understood the pressure she put on herself. Who couldn't see that Rin was striving to be perfect? She was overcompensating for the fact that she was human, and for that, Himatori felt sorry for her. If there was something he knew, it was Rin could never change in Sesshoumaru's eyes.

"Rin," Himatori chided when she swung, missing completely and fell flat on her face. The girl hopped back up surprisingly quick. "What is troubling you Rin?"

Rin obstinately shook her head and swung again, her anger increasing for such a stupid mistake. Himatori raised an eyebrow and the face the young female made. Still he blocked and retaliated. Soon she seemed to calm into her clear-cut fighting style. Himatori kept time; so far they'd been sparring for about two hours straight. This was the longest by far and the sensei was impressed with Rin's stamina. Looking up sharply, the youkai's senses picked up the scent of his Lord walking near. No doubt to observe Rin and make sure she was improving. Barring a little more force her swung his bokkun and was surprised when she didn't parry. Instead Rin dodged completely, feeling the force behind his swing before he even made contact. Taking three large steps back and to the side she sized her options. Himatori went for her again and Rin dodged steadily while taking long strides backwards. Soon they would be nearing the large Koi pond her Lord kept. Himatori began swinging faster leaving Rin no choice but to parry or get hit. After the fourth swing her bokkun was in danger of breaking and she wasn't near enough to the pond for her plan to work.

On a whim, Rin turned and ran in a zig zag pattern barely missing the tackles Himatori tried to make contact with. She ran directly for the pond and while Himatori was confused with this he certainly wasn't going to let her get away without proving herself. He wanted his Lord to see he was doing his job in pushing Rin to her fullest. His thought process failed him when Rin tumbled, swinger her leg in a complete circle. She tripped him and Himatori took a lunge into the freezing Koi pond.

Rin smiled broadly as her plan unfolded right in front of her. Standing she dusted herself off and waited for Himatori to emerge. He would most likely praise her for her inventive thinking.

"Rin." The baritone voice shocked her. She turned to see Sesshoumaru nearly next to her. His face seemed almost disproving. A face she hated the most.

"My Lord," Rin bowed lower than even the servants. Sesshoumaru always noted such, it almost made him smile, her displays of true devotion. Himatori emerged, spluttering; he hopped out with a broad smile on his face.

"Rin! That was excellent! Brilliant thinking!" He spotted Sesshoumaru, feigned surprise and bowed politely. "My Lord, how unexpected. Is there something I can do for you?"

Sesshoumaru seemed to gaze through him for a moment. "I came to observe Rin." His eyes slid back to his wards to find surprise. "You will demonstrate your skill to me."

"Of course my Lord!" Rin smiled wide and bowed low. She ran back to their original sparring grounds, picked up a new bokkun and turned to face her opponent. To her surprise Sesshoumaru stood there, hands tucked into his sleeves and a stoic expression on his face. Rin tried to keep the fear from her voice, but could not stop the confusion. "Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"I will be your opponent Rin." Was his only explanation.

The ningen nodded and steadied herself. She could feel her nerves tingling in the tips of her fingers and toes. She knew she was exuding the strong smell of fear and apprehension. Slowly she cleared her mind; closing her eyes she focused her energy. She felt her ki center itself as she opened her eyes to look at her opponent not as Sesshoumaru, but her temporary enemy.

Sesshoumaru watched her raptly. She was scared and nervous that much was palpable, but almost just as suddenly she was fearless and calm. The change intrigued him. When had she learned to control herself in such a manner? Still he watched as she opened her eyes to gaze at him in a way he had never received before. It raised the hairs on the back of his neck. Never had Rin ever looked at him in such a way. Never. Then she was attacking, quite quickly for a human. It took five long strides for her to reach Sesshoumaru, swinging her bokkun in a wider arc, she let her foot follow. Rin felt the fabric of her Lord's hakama sweep over her heel. She had been dangerously close to landing her kick. Keeping her balance in check Rin immediately dropped to the ground and slashed upward in quick succession, swinging her bokkun round and round.

Sesshoumaru took easy hops back keeping the distance between himself and Rin small enough for her to nearly reach him every time. Her expression was not fierce but almost calculated. Detached.

Rin lunged her arms forward aiming to spear the youkai, but Sesshoumaru simply glided to her left. His body slid past hers as he moved opposite of her in a grace that only reminded her, of her inferiority. She would never please him. In a fit Rin threw her leg out catching the Lord's heel. Sesshoumaru leapt lightly and just as he touched ground his hand came as a reflex and caught the bokkun Rin had thrown right as his face.

Himatori watched in silent awe as Sesshoumaru stared in his silent, stoic version of disbelief at the bokkun still seconds from his face and Rin knelt panting on the ground. Slowly the Inu lowered the bokkun and fixed his gaze on Rin as she struggled to stand without wheezing. "You have done well Rin. Rest, tomorrow you will accompany me to Totosai's villa."

Rin cocked her head. "My Lord," She began bowing, as he walked by her. "May I ask why we will be visiting Totosai?"

Sesshoumaru dropped the bokkun at Himatori's feet. "To commission a sword for you."

The demon was well into the palace before it finally hit Rin. Sesshoumaru was going to have a sword made for her. She squealed silently and sank to the floor, the joy apparent on her face. Himatori chuckled as he approached her.

"You did well young Rin. Exceptionally better than any human my eyes have ever seen. This I promise you. Come Sesshoumaru-sama wishes for you to rest." Rin simply nodded in a happy daze as she was led to her chamber to bathe and rest. Tomorrow she and her lord would travel together to have Totosai forge a sword for her and her alone.

* * *

**[Nineteen yr. old Rin]**

Rin knelt and closed her eyes. She could feel the stare of her Lord and several hundred demons. Her nerves were tingling at the thought of being the only free human in this Youkai's festival. As customary the Rulers of Japan bet against each other and put their best warriors in a ring. The battle was not to be to the death but Rin had a feeling this time would be different. Sesshoumaru had simply called her name casually and she obeyed orders. Now however the full brunt of what he had done was hitting her. He had placed his honor on her. Every year Sesshoumaru won because he revered as having the best warriors in all of Japan. Now he had thrown Rin, a ningen, to fight against seasoned youkai.

Rin was dressed similar to a taijiya. Sturdy black fur boots laced tightly to her ankle, fitting black taijiya pants cut short to her upper thighs, long black gloves that ran down her arm to expose her fingers, and sturdy, fitted black material that covered her torso up to her neck. The only color she wore was a belt that ran around her hips and draped in front of her and behind her. It was the same pattern as Sesshoumaru's obi, a gift for her nineteenth birthday. Her long hair was plaited down to the backs of her thighs and four long and dangerously sharp ornaments rested there and jingled when she moved.

Rin could feel the tension in the air. She steadied herself freeing all the doubt she had in her chest. She could almost taste the auras of each demon. She filled herself with the exhilarating thought of Sesshoumaru having so much faith in her. He must believe that she could do this, and for him she would if it meant to give up her life. The youkai looked at her quizzically as she knelt, her hand splayed on the ground and the other immobile to her left. Her twin swords mounted on her back, Ijo and Yijo. She waited for the host to ring the gong that would begin the tournament, but there seemed to be hesitation. Slowly Rin opened her eyes. The demon was making his way to upper deck where the Rulers sat to watch. Not a sound could be heard and the demon did not try to be discreet.

"My Lord Sesshoumaru, are you sure you want to enter that ningen girl? Surely you--" Rin didn't even blink when Sesshoumaru flicked his wrist and severed the demon in half. As the body fell over the deck it invariably hit the gong and all was fair game.

Rin had one fair advantage to the youkai. Because she was ningen, her bones were light and it was far easier for her to move and use her agility to her benefit. As soon as the sound rang Rin pushed off to her left and slid between the nearest demon's legs, stood back to back, reached over to clasp his neck and flipped him on his chest. Lying on his chest in a daze he was unprepared for Rin to drive her knuckles in the base of his neck, one of the few susceptible places a ningen could kill a youkai by. No one else had moved and the crack of his neck was loud. She stood calculating the distance of everyone to her. Most likely they would all try to kill her first. However no one moved for a full minute. Rin glanced over to see a smirk on her Lords face and it filled her with confidence. She ran forward directly past a demon, who instinctively swiped at her, and used all the strength in her legs to push off the wall, swing her leg and let catch the demon in the neck with her heel. Again the cracking sound was audible. Rin was down two and she had yet to even unsheathe her swords.

She turned to view the remaining demon who looked back in varying degrees of malice and hate. "It is obvious that you will all try to kill me first."

One demon sneered at her; he was finely dressed with long blue hair that flowed in the harsh breeze. "Filthy ningen, you believe that you are stronger than youkai because you live in the Western house? You will die!"

Rin reached behind her and turned the hilts of her swords unlocking them from the sheath. As soon as she unveiled them the aura of the area grew heavy. Chain links of demon energy wrapped around her arm but the material from the gloves kept them from burning her slowly. Mima Nanjo, Lord of the Eastern lands turned to Sesshoumaru "What does she wield, Sesshoumaru?" He asked not too quietly.

The demon's smirk grew, "My fangs."

Nanjo stared at his long time ally, "Ahh," he gave a short chuckle. "And she wields them so naturally," Nanjo pointed to Rin who stood static waiting for an attack in what looked like absolute comfort.

Sesshoumaru nodded slightly. "She has wielded those swords for three years. They know her aura and her being as their master and still she has not fully discovered all of their power. That is why no demon will stand at the end of this."

Huyoko Hibina a fiery hi-youkai grunted, "We shall see Sesshoumaru-san"

The Inu youkai simply nodded. He grew tired of the stalemate in the ring. "Rin," he called calmly. The girl turned her full attention to her Lord leaving herself wide open. "Finish this, I grow tired."

"Yes my Lord," Rin nodded. She turned and clutched her swords backwards, protruding them from her fists. Rin launched herself past two or three youkai letting her sword slash their legs off as she went. She ran so low that the demon's had to bend to swipe at her. Growls of frustration and pain echoed behind her and before she could stop her velocity a spear slammed the ground right in front of her. She moved enough for it to miss her face but it smashed into her shoulder and sent her on a skid. The demon was immediately charging for her and Rin threw Yijo at his neck. The demon laughed when she missed but Rin jerked her arm back and the chains whipped the sword around to behead the youkai before he was even close.

Looking around Rin counted the aura. All were in the rink, none has escaped or fled. Most were dead but some had only lost their legs. Sheathing her swords Rin turned toward the rulers and bowed deeply in the direction of her Lord. "My Lord," she stated ready for whatever he had planned for her. Slowly it sank in to her. She had just defeated some of the most skilled youkai in all of Nippon. Her, a young, ningen female had defeated some of the best warriors. It was then she knew she would one day be Sesshoumaru's personal guard. The demon always flaunted his own power by carrying only one when other demons used at least three. The Inu youkai simply waved his hand toward himself and stood to make his way to his quarters. The days festival was over, there would be a banquet then tomorrow would be another day. Rin hoped up the wall and landed next to her lord almost as silently as any bird youkai.

Sesshoumaru silently reasoned that she probably weighed less than one of his swords. "Rin come, the day is over." Sesshoumaru turned toward the long drone of steps to ground level. Nanjo stood and walked with Sesshoumaru as well, speaking low enough to draw attention but personalize their conversation.

"That is an interesting ningen you seem to have gotten your hands on." Nanjo jested silently while walking with his hand hidden in his large hoari.

He stared straight forward but Sesshoumaru still felt under scrutiny. It did not help the young Lord that this particular demon was also his godfather, a youkai that had known his father and played with Sesshoumaru since birth. He owed the older youkai nothing but respect and loyalty and he was one of the few Sesshoumaru would risk himself for. "You speak more than you listen old man."

"You don't say enough to listen to, pup." Nanjo chuckled and glanced back at the almost robotic walk of Rin about twenty feet away. Hard listening distance for a ningen, but Nanjo wouldn't be surprised. "So how did you acquire this talented one here? Is she the one they gossip about? The ningen you kept out of sheer random will?" Sesshoumaru simply nodded. That seemed to fit the bill. "What do you plan to do with her? What is she exactly?" The Inu sounded like a gossiping old women.

Sesshoumaru slid his eyes to the youkai, "What do you imply by 'do with her'?" He asked blandly.

Nanjo held up his hands in an innocent contemplative sort of manner. "I mean like what purpose does she have? Surely you do everything for a reason."

Sesshoumaru mused this for a long while. They were near his castle, the festival being hosted in his lands, when he finally gave an answer. "She has no immediate purpose." It was true wasn't it? He had often thought of reasons to keep her around and contemplated her very being for hours. What she did for him that was irreplaceable. Why he felt he needed to make these purposes. It was all too new to him until suddenly he stopped. She didn't seem to have made any plans of leaving so neither did he. For as long as she wanted, she would stay in his house and her 'purpose' would never be questioned.

"Hmmm," was all Nanjo replied. Sesshoumaru tensed his jaw. Certain times like these he wished Nanjo was not so in tuned to him as he was. The old dog could sniff out a bluff even if one was bluffing to oneself. "You never do anything without a purpose Sesshoumaru; just think about that will you."

The younger Inu growled. "What are you implying?" he spat stopping his gait abruptly to face the completely unphased older Inu.

Nanjo simply raised an eyebrow to the demons sudden demeanor and continued walking. "Nothing you haven't already."

* * *

It was sunny this day and Rin felt a bit lighter. She didn't know why but she was excited to see Inuyasha, his mate, the monk and his mate as well. Kagome and Sango were like mentors for her in her still short life. Whenever Inuyasha was forced to pass through these lands or deal with his brother he always brought his mate, the monk, and the taijiya with him. It was Sango that had overseen her battle wear and hidden weapons. She had also half trained her on the art of deceiving a man. Kagome on the other hand, had taught her how to be brash enough to evoke respect from a man but how to be docile enough to remain feminine. All was a lot more difficult than Rin had thought, but her relationship with the women was strong. She guessed it helped that they were only four and five years apart. Kagome was twenty-three this year and Sango twenty-four both who tried to keep themselves from pregnancy as long as possible.

Rin chuckled to herself but stopped when she felt the strong permeating aura of her Lord. Turning she bowed deeply, "My Lord," she quipped always ready to please him.

"You wait for my brother and his troop?" he asked with a small sense of resignation.

"Hai my Lord they should arrive soon." Rin's easy smile slipped in place. "I will welcome them and house them in their usually quarters, ne?" Sesshoumaru simply nodded, stepped up onto the ledge of his wide stone gate and sat. Rin joined him immediately remembering when they used to do this when she was younger. Back then Sesshoumaru held her because she was so clumsy she would have dropped herself to her own death. They spent time in quiet silence filled with the sweet smell of late spring and each other. Sesshoumaru prized this about his ward, she no more needed conversation than he did, but she had no problem babbling on when she felt to do it. For some reason she always seemed to know when was right.

"They are here." Sesshoumaru announced a full five minutes before they came into view. They traveled light, Kagome on Inuyasha's back laughing with Sango and Miroku. Inuyasha smiled easily looking completely content with his misshapen family, even when they approached the gate, the happy look didn't fade from Inuyasha's eyes thought he tried his trademark scowl when facing his brother.

"Bastard, you seem well." Was his opening remark but it came out seeming more light than meant.

"Inuyasha! Rin jumped down and hugged the hanyou effectively throwing him off balance. Kagome dropped down and was bear hugged next. Sango and Miroku next until the girls started appraising one another and commenting on what had grown and filled out where. By the end of it Rin was a scarlet red and Sango and Kagome both had sly grins on their faces.

"Sesshoumaru," Kagome greeted amicably completely refusing to use his title, especially when she felt slightly disrespected when all he addressed her by was 'Inuyasha's ningen' or 'Miko'. Sango gave a nod but immersed herself in her conversation with Rin once again. The troop waltzed through the palace, Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha exchanging words with non subtle threats and insults while still handling business, the girls amongst themselves and Miroku hopping from conversations.

Sesshoumaru's respect for his little brother had grown, though the demon didn't know when. He supposed it has something to do with his power and leadership but the Inutaisho would deny this until death. "You plan to stay here Inuyasha?" The demon more stated than assumed. Inuyasha didn't look up from his parchment but nodded. Sesshoumaru sent for a servant to ready the rooms and turned back to his brother. "The day's festival will commence soon, do you mean to attend it as well?" Inuyasha looked up in a sort of puzzlement then nodded toward Kagome. Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes and turned to the Miko.

Kagome looked up from Sango, "What?" she asked confused as well. The Lords patience began to wane.

Rin, never missing her Lords moods intervened. "Did you and Inuyasha plan to attend the festival?"

"Oh," the Miko stated. "I hadn't thought that it was this time of year, I thought it was later. It is only for youkai right?"

Rin mused this question. "I suppose if you are a strong enough human that you can attend as well."

Kagome raised a brow. "I take it Sesshoumaru lets you attend."

Rin brimmed in pride. "I won the competition for my Lord and protected his title." A small blush crept with the words and Rin turned from Sesshoumaru slightly. The demon noticed but for his wards sake averted his eyes. He couldn't understand silly human follies. Why she would become embarrassed over restating facts was beyond him. He supposed it was something he would never know.

"Ahh! You fought youkai?" Sango's interests were piqued.

Inuyasha looked up from his parchment and turned to his brother. "You let her fight youkai?"

"I made her fight youkai." Sesshoumaru corrected. "She is far stronger than any ningen and most youkai because I trained her that way. If it were not for her life span she would not be considered ningen."

Rin's blush increased and she ducked her head as Inuyasha scrutinized her. "You're in one peace so I take it was easy for you?"

She thought a moment. She hadn't needed to struggle. She wasn't hit once. Everything came natural to her, she wasn't even scared. After a moment she realized that it had been easy for her. "Yes," she said slowly. "It was easy for me." Rin wrapped herself in her own reverie.

"How long ago did you fight?" Kagome asked.

"Yesterday," she replied automatically.

"And today?" Kagome asked.

"Today is Kariputchu. All youkai dance from sundown to sun up."

"Are you not going to join this one?"

"I am not sure." Rin glanced at Sesshoumaru, still he said nothing.

"Kagome we should join with young Rin here." Sango chirped.

"Inuyasha would you dance?" Rin asked curiously.

"Only with Kagome." The hanyou replied almost instantly. Rin looked at Sesshoumaru again but he seemed truly disinterested.

"I am not sure if humans can join this part of the festival. I have never seen any, and I have never joined any part before yesterday."

"Don't worry about it," Kagome replied. "I am technically a Miko, Sango is stronger than most middle-class youkai and you my dear are hardly ningen at all." She clapped her hands. "It should be fine!"

Inuyasha lifted a brow and glanced at Kagome before going back to what he was doing. Rin let her eyes run back to her Lord to find him looking at her in the most peculiar way. Like he was contemplating something. "My Lord?" She asked. However Sesshoumaru simply remained silent. Turning back to Kagome the ward considered, "Well the sun will not set for another six hours. What do you wish to do until then?"

Kagome stood unexpectedly, "Rin, there is a hot spring near here. We passed it not too long ago. Let's go there! I haven't soaked in a hot spring in so long." Kagome looked eager and Sango groaned at the thought.

Rin smiled "Of course, let's go."

* * *

When the women returned, an hour before sun down, Rin led Kagome and Sango to the fabrics chamber and the three picked out kimonos, and pretty sheer hakamas with dangling gold coins. Rin chose an ornate black kimono with red flowers stitched along the back that split up to the waist on either side. She donned a pair of sheer red hakamas that barely shielded her legs at all and pretty satin black slippers. Pulling a long black cloth embroidered with hanging golden coins, Rin covered her entire face, save the eyes that shook with every step. Kagome wore similar attire except her kimono was red and her hakama white; Sango's kimono was brown and her hakama a deep purple.

If Sesshoumaru had no sense of smell he was sure he would not have known who had just arrived. He had attended the festival long ago and had found himself bored to pieces waiting for it to be over. Inuyasha had found refuge high in a tree gazing at the stars as the youkai below socialized. However the familiar scent he knew only as Rin wafted to him; only the woman walking his way was most certainly not Rin. The woman walked like a lioness and the peeks of skin from the slit of her kimono did no good to dispel the image she had inflicted on Sesshoumaru. Suddenly the deepest feeling of displeasure welled in the Lord. How dare this ningen come baring skin that did not belong to her.

However he schooled his features, still not sure what was coming over him. He knew Rin meant no harm and one wrong look would destroy her spirits for weeks on end and only clear through some sort of praise.

Rin arrived right in front of her Lord only her brilliant hazel eyes visible. She bowed low, "My Lord," Kagome bowed as well out of respect.

With a whoosh Inuyasha leapt out of the tree and landed a little behind Kagome. The Kagome turned and accepted his outstretched hand. It was time like these that Rin could see their love like a tangible string connecting the two. She so desperately wanted the same. If only, if only. The two began a century old dance meant to seduce one another and joined the other youkai and hanyou. Kagome jingled as she moved deliberately slower than Inuyasha meant to depict her slow growing love for him and they hanyou danced around her rapidly showing all his efforts to woo her. The dance looked serene when done by the couple. Rin thought it was because their eyes rarely left each other.

Lord Huyoko Hibina was just conversing with Lord Suzari Sashine the Lord of the Middle Provinces when he caught sight of the trio walking. One whiff of the air told him it was the same ningen woman that accompanied the arrogant dog Sesshoumaru. He nodded to Sashine and stalked over to the young woman. Hibina knew he was good looking, well into handsome and he also knew he was young. He had the second largest military in all of Nippon and prided himself on being a strong individual. Hibina had pulled his long black mane into a high pony tail he knew accentuated the deep blood red of his eyes, his pale complexion and the natural angles of his face. He didn't see the ningen and her Lord talking so he didn't think it rude to interrupt.

With a fangy grin he reached the couple and gave a polite bow to Rin. "Pleasant to finally meet you little ningen."

Rin, grateful of the veil to hide her blush, bowed lower. "An honor," she replied with perfect manners, her voice soft and melodic.

Hibina's eyes found that of Sesshoumaru and he gave a cordial nod with a good smile. He may not like Sesshoumaru but he did respect his power. "Lord Sesshoumaru." he greeted, only being slightly disrespectful by greeting him after Rin. The Lord in question simply nodded to show his response. He seemed to lack the want to talk. Hibina extended a hand toward Rin, "Would you care to dance with me?"

This time the blush reached up to right under her eyes. "Excuse me Lord Hibina, but I do not think that dance would be appropriate." She eyed Kagome and Inuyasha, the two looking completely at home.

Hibina chuckled, "Nonsense, we would not perform that dance, but a simple one to the beat of the drums. I will show you an ancient hi-youkai dance that only nobles in the Southern Lands perform." He smiled easily and took her hand. After nodding once more to Sesshoumaru he led Rin to the same arena of earthen ground that all other dancing youkai were on. Rin had always thought dancing like a demoness would be hard. She observed the way Kagome moved, an ordinary ningen woman would find that impossible. Holding her leg high for far too long and moving in ways that seemed to defy natures law. However the dance Hibina shared with Rin was not difficult at all.

Hibina placed his hand on the cloth on the back of her neck and led her completely from there. Rin moved where she was guided and was elated that the quick pace was not hard to keep up with at all. She locked eyes with Hibina unconsciously imitating the same look Kagome gave her mate. The effect was the Lord pulled her closer and sped up. Grabbing her shoulders, Hibina about faced the ningen and guided her by wrapping his had around her upper arm. He turned her and took two large steps back. Moving her paused and waited for her to copy him. A quick learner, Rin fell into rhythm quickly. She held her hands up as she moved and the large sleeves of her kimono fell to expose her elbows and the quick turns ballooned her kimono out to expose the naked skin of her waist.

Sesshoumaru watched with a face of disinterest. Inside he was in turmoil. Realization was hitting him square in the chest. What this feeling was, he did not know, but he knew it was unwelcome, undeserved, and abhorred. And he knew it was caused by Rin. He could barely stand it. He tried to quell his growing rage by watching his brother dance but the two were so in love it made him sick. He directed his attention to the taijiya, who had long ago discarded the veil in favor of draping it over the monk. It was interesting enough to watch the two because their dance was not youkai, but clearly not human. Sesshoumaru inferred probably just spur of the moment movement that made the couple unique. But still he became tired of watching them and Sesshoumaru found himself watching Rin and that hot head demon dance as if they were long time lovers.

It made him sick. Standing, Sesshoumaru caught Rin's attention just as she was turning again. She froze and their eyes connected. Sesshoumaru let his look of disgust fill his features before ordering his imp and walking away.

Rin stood motionless for a moment confused as to what had brought this on all of a sudden. Her first thought was that he hadn't been looking at her. But she was fooling herself if she tried to pass that off. Her second thought was that she had in some way disrespected him and her mind raced as panic filled her body whole. Never would she intentionally disrespect her Lord. He was absolutely everything to her. It took her but a minute before he legs began to work and she ran.

* * *

"My Lord!" Rin was racing up the corridors of the Western Palace. She knew Sesshoumaru was near she could feel his aura in her bones. "My Lord please tell me what I have done!" Rin begged beginning to sob uncontrollably. Her adrenaline gave out and she stopped abruptly and fell to her knees holding herself. She had ripped the veil from her face and her long wavy hair hung drearily around her face. _'It's unfair.'_ She thought bitterly. _'If he would just give me a chance to explain whatever it is I have done.'_ But Rin knew her Lord. It was not often Sesshoumaru acted impulsively, but in every time he had never made a mistake or regretted his actions.

She felt the spike of his aura and it filled her with a new determination. Leaping up she followed him down the winding hall and through the servants entrance to his personal garden right next to his chamber. There she found him gazing at the high moon. Music could still be heard from the festival not too far away. "My Lord," Rin whispered all of the sudden afraid of what he might say. "please." Was all she could mutter.

There was a long pause. "You have irritated me Rin." Sesshoumaru, out of a loss of words, let the truth tumble out.

"But how my Lord. Please tell me and I will never do it again."

"That is it Rin." Sesshoumaru paused not sure how to admit this. "I don't know what it is."

Flabbergasted Rin sputtered. "But my Lord it must be something!" She tried raising her voice in a manner that she had never used with him. "Please Lord Sesshoumaru you must tell me wha-"

"It is your very presence." Sesshoumaru said venomously. Rin's breath left her and she felt like she couldn't breathe. What had he just said? "I can not take it any longer." Sesshoumaru was glad his back was to Rin. He was not sure if he ever remembered his face twisting into such displays of emotion. "Something must be done."

There was a decisive silence that cut deep through the ningen as Rin felt her world crashing around her. "My Lord please tell me is it because I danced with that youkai?"

Rage filtered though the inu youkai. In a second his face was mere inches from Rin's, eyes red and glowing and his fangs protruding from his mouth. "What did you just say?"

Rin felt fear shake her to the core. "I just want to stay by you my Lord. Like Rin always has." She reverted back into third person displaying her fear. It did nothing to quell her Lord. "If my Lord desires, Rin will never dance with another youkai again. Rin will never dance ever again. It has only been you my Lord." Rin could feel herself breaking down. She was saying anything that she thought would dampen the situation.

Sesshoumaru took a large step back. "What?" he fixed her with an almost disgusted stare.

Rin could feel herself shaking. "It has always been you my Lord. The one Rin lives for, the only thing Rin loves. Please don't send Rin away! Please-"

"That is enough." His eyes came back to the cold color of amber gold. "You must go. Your simple ningen follys have gone far enough. You will not shame me by proclaiming you love this Sesshoumaru. You are nothing but a ningen. Even thought I invested so much into raising you to be above other ningens you are still ningen. This has gone far enough. Had I known this before I would have left you at the first ningen village across Nippon." Sesshoumaru turned away from Rin and whistled. Two inu-youkai maids came and bowed low. "Take Rin to her chambers and let her pack her belongings. Then escort her to wherever she wishes to go. She is no longer welcome here."

Rin stood in shock. What was her Lord saying? Surely he was not telling her to go. Where would she live? What would she do? How would she survive not seeing her Lord's face, not hearing his voice? It wasn't until she felt the warm hands of the maids that it truly set into her. He was ordering her exile. He was kicker her out. "No!" Rin clawed out their grasp and ran to Sesshoumaru. The demon leapt high out of her reach. "No! My Lord please don't send me away! I promise I will never speak of this again? How will I survive? Please don't."Sternly yet kindly the maids wrapped their arms around Rin and pulled her back through the palace with the girl screaming and sobbing all the way. The strength left her and she slumped on the floor of her chamber.

"My Lady, our orders were to help you pack and then escort you to your destination."

"NO! I will not leave!"

"My Lady you must-"

" No!" Rin curled herself into a tight bun and rocked. _'It is not true. This is just a nightmare. He would not abandon me. He would never send me away. I am the closest living thing to him, even if I an ningen. I am strong. He is proud of me. I am an asset.' _Rin convinced herself until a black oblivion met her.

* * *

[A/N] Well there you have it folks. Next Chappi will be up soon! Review Plz!


	2. First Healings

**[A/N] I apologize for the extremely long wait. Summer and all plus my schedule is busy as hell. Review if you like please!**

* * *

**Ningen Impossibilities**

**Chapter One**

The sun was an eye sore, and the first feeling she regained after consciousness, was an ear splitting headache. Her eyes resisted the motion of opening and Rin had the weirdest feeling that something wasn't right. Coherence flooded her and she jerked upright. Laying next to her was Kagome and Sango. Both of whom were still sleeping. Rin scrambled to her feet memories flooding her. Where was she? Why was she here? She needed to be back at the Western palace pleading for her Lord. Rin turned her eyes to the sky. The sun was just rising from the east. Rin began to stumble in the opposite direction. She figured it didn't matter where she was, if she ran in this direction, eventually she would find her home. A blur of red landed before her and Inuyasha appeared.

Rin stopped short. "Inuyasha," she greeted still somewhat delirious. "Inuyasha I must go. I must go back home."

The hanyou averted his eyes, his ears falling to his head. He sighed, if he had ever thought his brother was a bastard, now was the time. "Rin," Inuyasha found the words hard to utter. "Sesshoumaru….he, doesn't seem to want you there right now. Maybe you just need to give him his space for now." Inuyasha knew he was lying as he spoke. Sesshoumaru was as stubborn and obstinate as ever. There was no way that any amount of space or time would convince him to reconsider what he did. His pride would never allow that.

Rin snapped her head to the side as if to avoid being hit. She had never experienced this kind of pain before. Physical pain she had trained her body to ignore, but only Sesshoumaru could hurt her so deep that she didn't know how to cope. "I just want to know why." She barely whispered. Rin sensed Kagome and Sango before she heard them but made no move to acknowledge them. "Inuyasha just leave me be."

"Rin I can't I promised Sesshoumaru I-" The hanyou lost his nerve. Scratching his head he sighed and tried to look for a solution. "Rin I don't think it would be wise to go to him right now. Just wait is all I am asking, please."

Rin processed this. "Where are we?"

"Two days journey from the Western Palace, toward the Middle Provinces, just another half a day or so from my village. You could stay there and recuperate. After that I can't tell you what to do." Inuyasha looked hopeful.

Rin's chest was concaving. Suddenly the air felt thin and her blood light like water. How many days could she survive? What was this feeling? Maybe this was the weakness Sesshoumaru despised in ningens. She felt like she could hardly breathe. The tears were normal now, natural to flow down her face. "I cannot live without him." Rin looked up to Inuyasha but he stubbornly refused to look at her and continued to bar her path. She briefly wondered if she could subdue him but dismissed the notion. If Sesshoumaru could not kill him then she would not be able to lay a hand on him. Robotically she turned and made her way east walking passed the pity filled faces of the only other female ningens she had ever known.

No one had anything to say.

* * *

Sesshoumaru was quite sure he had made one of the gravest mistakes of his life. His palace was so quiet he could hear the mice crawling on the other side of the estate. He was still sitting in the tree outside his chamber. Subconsciously he waited to hear Rin's voice pleading to be accepted one again, but she never came. And the longer he waited the more bitter he grew. This ningen, this child had come and ruined his life with her undying loyalty and wide hazel eyes. He had thought she was loyal, he had thought she was strong, but all of the sudden he got the notion that she was an usurper. Her only goal had been to make Sesshoumaru dependent on her. Then she would proclaim to love him and bait him to say the same, trapping him in one of the most tabooed practices in youkai culture. She had obviously been planning this all along.

But where was she? The maids had come to him to tell him that she had passed out on her chamber floor. Sesshoumaru thinking this was a trick had told them that if she wasn't gone by midnight that he swore on all he owned he would kill her himself. The maids where just dragging her outside the castle gate when Inuyasha, Kagome, Sango and Miroku had returned. The maids relayed the story and Inuyasha went to confirm.

"_Sesshoumaru what the hell is going on? There are two of your servants dragging Rin out the palace!" Inuyasha sounded truly concerned. _

"_She is never to be seen here again." Sesshoumaru spat. "I want her gone before the sun rises. If I so much as smell her I will make sure she never lives to defy me again."_

"_Will you just tell me what this is about?!" The hanyou cried bewildered by his brother's raw emotion. "What the hell has she done?"_

"_It is none of your concern."_

_Inuyasha was silent for a moment. "I will take her to my village. But afterwards she won't be under my control." _

"_As long as she is kept from here." _

"_I can't promise that."_

"_You will promise or there is no reason to keep her alive for her transgressions."_

"_Sesshoumaru,"_

"_What is it Inuyasha? Will you keep her from here? Or must I eradicate the problem myself."_

"_You're being irrational! But I promise to keep her from here until we reach my village no more!" The hanyou ran away before any more could be said. And with a heavy heart he left Miroku to continue his business and bustled off with Rin, Kagome and Sango. _

But once his anger had settled Sesshoumaru it. The pounding of her little feet running wildly, as she had escaped Inuyasha to beg him for forgiveness from whatever she had done. Promising to never do it again even if she had no idea what 'it ' was. The pain in his chest made him harsh. There was a reason ningen were never to be trusted. He didn't understand how this could happen to such a demon as himself. He was the most feared Lord in all of Japan and yet a ningen girl nearly a twentieth of his age had broken some of his most precious barriers simply by being unconditionally loyal.

And then this love. Nonsense. Rin had known, from the age of full comprehension, that Sesshoumaru did not love. He had told her, he had shown her. He did not know how she could have possibly disregarded all the years of drilling that specific fact into her brain. Her admission was nothing more than a farce to pull Sesshoumaru into an ultimatum. She simply wanted power over him. Realization dawned on the Western Lord. All the hours she spent training and pushing herself to be the perfect killing machine. She had said it was to please him so that she may become an asset. But Sesshoumaru could see, all that time she was training to be able to kill him. She was the one person Sesshoumaru never put his guard up for. Rin would never betray him. But she did, in cold blood.

The Lords heart was racing and suddenly he wanted desperately to tear the ningen to pieces. He briefly considered following her and delivering the exact punishment he had in mind but his limbs would not move. Fury sat with him for days as the Master of the Western Palace did not move for little under a week. He contemplated his house hold. How many of his staff had Rin pulled under her control? He would have to purge his house and the thought of her outreach made him sick. He vowed the next time he ever saw her face he would rip her apart.

* * *

"Things are not always what they seem Rin." Kagome brushed the weeping girls hair. They were resting in Inuyasha's miniature palace in his village. As soon as they arrived and showed Rin her room she had stayed in there and cried for days on end refusing to eat or drink anything. Finally her tears were running low and all she could do now was weep dryly and lament her Lord. "Life is not fair, especially for a ningen in a youkai world. That's what you are Rin, and situations will always be against you." Kagome ran her hands through the long wavy locks trying to detangle them to the point where she wouldn't have to cut it all off. "You must pick yourself back up. What if Sesshoumaru was to see you? He would only recognize a weak ningen girl crying her heart out. Not his impenetrable Rin that he raised to be perfect. Remember who you are."

"I miss him." Croaked the younger one.

Kagome nodded. "Come on let's get you a bath." She pulled Rin up and helped her disrobe and make her way to the large underground hot spring. Leaving she returned to her chamber to find her mate writing a letter. "Please tell me that is not to who I think it is."

Inuyasha sighed. "I know how you feel, trust me I am not okay with this either but I will tell Sesshoumaru what the hell is happening with her and I hope he feels like an ass."

Kagome shook her head. "Absolutely not. He wanted her gone? She's gone. He says she is dead to him? Then she is!"

Kagome-"

"Just think about it Inuyasha, when Rin is better do you think she'll appreciate us telling Sesshoumaru every little bit of her grievance?"

Inuyasha looked back at the letter he was writing, he supposed that was what he was doing. "Fine woman. Where are you going?"

Kagome opened the shoji door to their room. "I'm going to go find my detangler shampoo and help Rin with her hair."

Rin watched the bubbles float up toward the surface of the water. There was a burning sensation in her chest, but it was not as bad as the feeling in her soul. She was worthless. Not even worthy enough in the presence of the only thing that mattered to her. Where was she supposed to go? Her life has spiraled out of control. Oh how she wished she could just go back and do that day again. Somehow she knew that whatever it was she did to dishonor her Lord had been on that dance floor of the Kariputchu with that hi-youkai, Lord Hibina. She replayed that night over and over in her mind. What was it she could have done?

But it didn't matter now. Rin smiled as she looked up. She opened her mouth feeling the last of her breath leave her in the form of interesting little bubbles. She watched the bubbles float up before taking a big breath. Now the pain was so much more tangible. It burned like acid down her throat. She coughed and couldn't help her body spasms but there was comfort in knowing it was almost over. To her dismay, right when her vision was growing black she saw the face of a black haired angel full of sorrow and pity and she knew she wouldn't die. When would her pain be over? She just wanted it to be over.

Kagome pumped Rin's chest like a mad man and screamed for Inuyasha. The hanyou was there before she could finish his name. From the looks of things he didn't have to be told. He growled and disappeared again. Kagome forced the water from Rin's lungs and breathed into the girl. Rin coughed and sputtered. Pain flooder her and she cringed to take a breath. Kagome just watched in rapt her heart rate still racing. She had been so sure that she was too late. All she could think was that this was Sesshoumaru's fault. She should have known not to leave the girl alone. Somehow she hadn't thought things were suicide worthy. Inuyasha returned with a long herb that looked like a blade of grass.

"Put this down her throat, it will make sure all the water is out her lungs."

Kagome just stared at him. "Put that down her throat?"

"Just do it wench." Inuyasha disappeared again giving Rin her privacy.

Kagome turned Rin on her back and the girl smiled at her. "You saved me Kagome." She said in her horrible voice. It was hard to blame her.

"Was this an accident Rin?" she asked praying with all her being that it was.

She simply smiled sadly. "I just want it to be over Kagome. Can you let me do that?"

The pain in her face made Kagome tear. "Come on," She said completely ignoring Rin's question. "Let's get the water out your lungs."

* * *

The first thing Miroku recognized back in Inuvillage was the billowing, bright red hakama of Inuyasha high in the Goshinboku. His happy mood zapped when he caught the tense rigid stance in the figure. The monk sighed, his days at the Western palace had been rigid and hear hostile. He could only imagine what was happening here.

"Inuyasha," He greeted aimicably. Inuyasha gave a terse nod. "How are things?"

The hanyou jumped down and joined Miroku with a sigh. "Rin is doing better. She cries every night still and I always have to be on guard: she constantly tries to sneak out."

"I thought you were not going to force her to stay." Miroku had no tone of disapproval.

Inuyasha wavered. "I know, I, just don't want her to die for no reason, y'know?"

Miroku was silent for a moment. "Do you honestly believe he would kill her if he saw her again?"

Inuyasha scratched his head. "Well he said he would."

"But what would that say if he didn't?" Miroku turned toward the demon. There was nothing Inuyasha could say to that. He wasn't sure what was going on, but he was positive there was more than what met the eye.

Inuyasha shook his head. "He has far too much pride to not do what he said he would. Even if it was the last thing he wanted to do." The two traced their steps back to Inuyasha's mini palace and Miroku made his way to his mate. Inuyasha was sitting in the courtyard when a small Kitsune messenger made his way toward him.

"Are you Master Inuyasha?" The hanyou simply nodded. "I have a message for Lady Rin from Lord Hibina. He is aware of her current situation and sends his regards through this letter. He asks permission to speak to her from you firstly, of course." The Kitsune bowed. Inuyasha was a little apprehensive but he figured it was not his place to interfere with Rin's personal life anymore than he already had and was. His nod was approval and he directed the demon to Rin.

The human sat in the back courtyard fletching arrows. As soon as the Kitsune was near she neatly fixed an arrow in between her fingers and flicked her wrist, sending it straight for his head. The Kitsune caught it and bowed immediately. "Lady Rin I come with a message." '

Rin's heart leapt for utter joy before she could stop herself. "A message? From Lord Sesshoumaru?"

The Kitsune shook his head. "No my Lady it is from Lord Hibina."

Rin felt her face fall back into despair. Consciously she knew she couldn't remain this way but she couldn't help it. All she wanted most desperately was to hear from him. Just to know what he was doing, if he had forgiven her. She had never gone this long without knowing what he was about in her entire life. She felt so out of place it was hard to cope. Rin fixed her face and took the message with a limp grimace, thankful when he was out of her presence and she could wallow openly again. They came again, the tears. Rin curled up into a bundle the thought of shoving one of her arrows into her chest playing over and over again. "My Lord." She wailed near silently.

* * *

Lord Hibina sat in his personal chamber of his large palace. A knock both interrupted and annoyed him. "Come in Juno."

The Kitsune messenger appeared not needing the door enter the room. "My Lord your suspicions were true. The young human woman was apparently cast out. She mourn pitifully. It seems her power came only from being at Sesshoumaru's side. Once she left she became a frail ningen girl again."

Hibina was quiet for a moment digesting this new information. "It seems our Lord has a weakness after all." The hi-youkai gave an evil chuckle. "I will destroy Sesshoumaru yet, if it's the last thing I do."


	3. Move to the Middle

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[**A/N] Here you go loves! Quick update! I already have an idea for chapter 3!! Reviews help me speed up the process!! Enjoy!**

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**Ningen Impossibilities **

**Chapter Two**

"I'm not sure this is such a good idea Kagome." Rin fretted as the Miko wrapped her in a fine kimono of black silk with flower patterns the same hazel as her eyes. Sango had just strapped a number of hidden weapons to her and piled her hair high on her head in an elaborate fix. Suzari Sashine's son was having a birthday and all nobility had been invited. Surprisingly that had included Rin. "I suppose everyone knows of my exile now."

"Don't worry about what they know, or think they know." Sango's sure voice always helped to calm Rin's disposition. "You will be just as beautiful, if not more, than you have ever been."

Kagome put the finishing touches to Rin's obi. "There, now we'll get dressed and it won't be long. Rin practice looking at ease, if demons think you are weak they will try to prey on you. Remember that." The two women rushed off a flurry of following maids. Rin sat in reflection. It had been two long months since she had seen the Western Palace. Living with Kagome and Inuyasha was not hard, but it was not home. Her dreams of Sesshoumaru had not dwindled and her wish to see him again had only intensified. Inuyasha had told her about the promise he made to his brother and how Sesshoumaru had never wanted to see her at the Western Palace again. For some reason Rin could not imagine her Lord killing her. And if she was given the chance she was sure she would run right back to the palace despite his promise to eradicate her. It was not to be though, that was what Kagome had said.

The ride to Sashine's Palace was not too long. They took typical nobility carriage with Inuyasha huffing all the way. The procession was long and grand and just as Kagome had feared Rin became something of a freak attraction. But Rin kept her head held high and smiled with polite modesty. When Lady Sashine approached her she was prepared to fend off unkind remarks and uncomfortable conversation topics. The woman looked kind with long white hair and eyes just as vacant as a sheet of blank parchment. Her voice seemed to glide over Rin. "Lady Rin I am glad you could join us." Rin simply nodded not sure if she meant that or not. "I understand there have been some mishaps with your Lord," Rin bristled visibly. "Do not get offended young one, talk is everywhere. My son has grown interests for you, though I cannot say if it is purely curiosity fueling him or something else. He would like to meet you. Also I think a friend of yours is here as well, Princess Kia and her father have come."

A small smile lit Rin's face. She had not seen her long time friend in years. Princess Kia was heiress to the underwater Province, she was the one who had taught her to swim back when her father, Kian, spent lots of time in the West. "I have not seen her face in many years." Rin's voice was soft and subdued.

The Lady of the province looked her over. "You do not even seem the same woman that stunned me the day of the festival. As curious as I am to know what has taken place, I know it has nothing to do with me. Perhaps one day you will feel comfortable enough to relay the story, but until then come this way the banquet in my son's honor is about to begin."

Rin simply nodded hoping the woman would find some other youkai to occupy her. Rin followed the natural stream of youkai to a large outside terrace with large tables piled high with food. Rin sat next to Kagome and Inuyasha next in one of the lesser tables. Unconsciously she searched every face and felt every aura for her Lord. But she knew better, Sesshoumaru did not attend parties such as these. Rin saw her then with her pale slightly blue tinted skin and dark black hair. Standing Rin rushed over to the girl just as she turned around. There they stood facing each other for a moment.

"Rin?" Kia asked with slight awe in her voice.

She nodded. "It's been so long Kia. How have you been?"

Kia threw her arms around her in a tight embrace. "Oh Rin I have heard so many things about you! Youkai back home speak as if you are eight feet tall, ugly and deformed with enormous power. I was expecting to see you hobble about." The young water youkai laughed. "But you are more beautiful than I could have ever imagined! How is life in the West?"

Rin expecting this question all night was better prepared to explain than she thought. "I have been expelled from the West. Permanently." She held up a hand when Kia went to ask. "For what reasons," Rin sighed. "I am still uncertain. My Lor- Lord Sesshoumaru had declared that if he ever sees me in the West he will kill me immediately."

Kia was quiet for a moment. "I do not know how this could be. Will you try to find a reason? Meet him outside the Western Palace?"

Rin shook her head. "He hardly ever travels outside the West unless he is following Totosai to one of his many dens."

"Does he not attend the winter solstice festival?"

Rin held still. Sesshoumaru attended those festivals at a whim. If he felt he would benefit in any way he would but many times he didn't. "Some times if he desires to. That festival is not for another half a year."

Kia nodded enthusiastically, "And in that time perhaps he will have reconsidered or cooled down enough to at least explain your exile."

Rin sighed as the two walked. She was not hungry and had no desire to stay and look interested while they all fawned over Ishan turning another bloody year. She turned to her long time friend. "Have you sparred recently?"

"No, not time. Fathers been traveling trying to petition for some new order he wants passed for all youkai around Nippon. I've been with him all this time, you?"

"Me either. Inuyasha refuses to spar with me and well, everyone else is too weak. I usually fight full blooded youkai or powerful hanyou, but humans I cannot. I forget how fragile they are."

Kia laughed. "You speak as if you are not ningen yourself."

Rin chuckled as well but inside she burned. "I wish I were not." She glance around they looked to be alone. "Care to spar for a bit? I promise we won't get ourselves dirty."

Kia looked around as well. "Well I suppose if it is very quick."

"Very." Rin echoed. She swept her hand out in a gesture. "After you princess."

Inuyasha was sure he was the first to feel it. His ears flickered and caught the soft boom of some sort of attack hitting the forest nearby. For some unknown reason he knew it was Rin. Her place was not being missed right now but it was rude of her to disappear and she knew such. Discretely Inuyasha slipped away and ran toward the commotion but just as he was nearing, a large water wave that was anything but natural rose to almost blot out the sun. Knowing there was no way that no one else saw that the hanyou picked up the pace and was in time to dodge water blasts with pressure that could have put a hole in his chest.

Rin giggled feeling carefree for the first time since she was kicked from her home. Kia raced by borrowing water from a large lake near them. She threw blasts at Rin as the other girl dodged in her under robe and always managed to just miss Kia with a dagger or short sword. Both girls hair had fallen from their elaborate fix and were hanging free wild from their fight. Rin's long wavy and dark brown, Kia long straight and black. They laughed like nothing was amiss and before Inuyasha could call the two he felt the presence of the other demons rushing to see what had caused such a commotion.

Rin leapt high using trees to cover from the force of Kia's blasts she hacked at small braches with her daggers and threw them like spears to knock the youkai off balance. Rin saw an opening and leapt at her, twisting in the air to avoid a long stream of water aimed for her head. Kia moved to the left in time to miss the dagger and Rin used her shoulder as a rebound and pushed off in another direction. Kia fell off balance and splashed into the water while Rin hit the earth in a tumble. Kia resurfaced laughing. "When did you become so sneaky?" He laughing died abruptly as she and Rin looked at the full court attendance in nothing but her thin white robe, sticking to them now with water and sweat. Inuyasha was there in a moment, practically yanking Kia from the water, thrusting her with Rin and wrapping his hoari around the both of them.

"Hurry and dress." Was all he said as he pushed them toward the piles of fine silk near a tree. The girls hurried, huddled under Inuyasha's large hoari, took their clothes and quite literally ran away. Inuyasha stuck his hands inside his sleeves and with a sigh trekked back to the court terrace. He arrived to see Kagome, Sango, and Miroku along with a few other youkai had not moved. "Great, now more gossip." The hanyou sighed.

Kagome gave a wry smile. "I take it that had something to do with Rin?"

The hanyou shrugged. "She was sparring with Kian's daughter. The two of them could have been smart enough to not make such a big racket."

Kia was dressed first she hurried around in a flurry. "Oh this is really not good. Father will be so mad at me for embarrassing him. Hurry Rin we must go!"

The human woman struggled with her obi and outer robes. "Just go Kia, hopefully you allowed to see me again before you return to you land." Kia nodded and rushed off as Rin tried to re-pin her hair in a replica of what is looked like tomorrow. If she could just get to Kagome or Sango they could do it again. She was just sticking a long thin pin into her hair when she felt a demon near her. Not wanting to act to quickly she waited and continued fixing her hair but the demon seemed content to watch her. Rin began to get a nervous feeling. If this demon meant her some harm but was nobility it would be a sticky situation now that she was not under the cover of Sesshoumaru. She would have to stand regular trial and could be executed for killing or even maiming any noble youkai. Rin stood and began to walk back toward the inner courtyard. She acted startled when the brown face of Ishan appeared next to her.

"Hello there Lady Rin." He said with an amicable tone. "Your spar was most amusing with Princess Kia. I suppose one could not expect less from one trained in the house of the West." Ishan had his hair pulled into a top knot making his weird color more prominent. Rin could see how dark blue it was in his roots, and the transition it made until it was a startling white on the ends.

"I thank you." She replied with a polite nod. "Congratulations on another happy birthday. I trust you are enjoying your party?"

"Yes, I was most looking forward to seeing you."

Rin paused seeming stunned and pleased. "Why Lord Ishan, would you look forward to seeing me, an exile from the West?"

Ishan continued walking. "It is no secret Sesshoumaru harbored you there so no other demon could contest your attention from his. Your exile is like your freedom."

It was all Rin could do to not stab him in his neck for his lack of respect in forgetting her Lords' title. Still she smiled. "I have never thought of it that way. Youkai do not interlope with ningen unless to use them as consorts, and I am no consort." She let an edge seep into her voice in case Ishan had other ideas.

Ishan nodded complacently. I agree Lady Rin. However modern times have an easier life for hanyous and ningen-youkai relationships. Especially if the ningen is royal or special in some way." He looked down into her eyes.

Rin nodded and looked away, beginning their walk again. "I have been raised to believe all ningen-youkai relationships were disgusting and impossible. I do see however that that is not true. My host Inuyasha is very strong and brave with a family of his own. I think modern time does shed an easier light on hanyous."

"Ahh yes. Sesshoumaru in known for his radical views in keeping tradition alive. However he himself has raised a ningen to be more powerful than many youkai. What a contradiction, don't you agree?" Rin was saved from answering because they had broken the clearing and Kagome, the first to see them, had rushed over.

"Rin you hair looks terrible. Come with me, hurry!" She whispered in a huff.

Ishan captured Rin's hand. "I hope to continue our conversation later?" He looked her deep into her hazel eyes with his white ones and kissed her hand. She nodded politely and allowed herself to be tugged away by Kagome.

* * *

Inuyasha looked uneasy at her request. "Rin just promise me you won't run off to the West? I don't want Sesshoumaru to kill you."

Rin nodded feeling the familiar sting in her chest whenever anyone said anything like that. "I give you my word Inuyasha. I will not enter the West."

The hanyou nodded. "Fine then." He looked to Lady and Lord Sashine. "I will leave her with you. Please protect her." His voice was polite but the gold in his eyes flashed dangerously before he turned and left. Kagome bowed politely and waved goodbye to Rin before walking to catch up with Inuyasha.

Lady Sashine turned to Rin who was still watching her companions exit. "Do not worry little one you will be safe here. Lord Sesshoumaru has not issued a bounty on your head. There should be no attempts on your life if that is what he was worried about."

Rin nodded. "Yes madam."

Lady Sashine waved a hand and maids came at her beckon. "Now please escort Lady Rin to her chambers. Prepare a bath and fresh robes."

Rin was slightly excited. Kia had told come to tell Rin, she and her father were staying in the Middle Provinces for a while and begged Rin to do the same. Rin was sure some time around her friend would do her some good.

* * *

Sesshoumaru stared at the angry blades on his wall. They wailed and protested the seals that kept them from flying off in search of Rin. He could see the chains of energy wrapping and twining itself over the blades again and again. They would continue this way until they were either put in Rin's hands or she was killed. Sesshoumaru was not sure which option he was interested in at the moment. He could hear the footfalls of his imp coming to disrupt him, he was still unsure of Rin's effect on it.

Jaken knocked only twice. Lately Sesshoumaru had been much more withdrawn and ruthless, killing almost everyone that showed any sort of remorse for Lady Rin's exile. "Enter." He was rewarded with. Jaken stepped within the large dark room. His mast sat on his large bed staring at the eerie blades that would not keep still nor quiet.

"Lady and Lord Sashine send their regrets that you could not make it to Lord Ishan's celebration." Sesshoumaru did not respond. He did not care. Jaken fidgeted and continued. "Lord Nanjo wishes to know if you will host the Winter Solstice festival on your lands?" The Lord seemed to twitch but still did not offer a remark. "King Kian says he will be visiting soon and is bringing Princess Kia as well. Also Lord Zenno wishes for the trade meeting to be moved up to the beginning of fall." Sesshoumaru lowered his gaze in thought. He would not host the Winter Solstice although it was his turn. He was considering turning down Kian simply because he wanted no demons in his house when he was unsure where loyalties were laying.

"You may inform Nanjo that he will have to host the Winter Solstice again this year. Also inform a messenger to intercept Kian, there are no visitors permitted in the West at this time. As far as Zenno is concerned I will meet him personally as agreed, Inform him that I may need a favor," Sesshoumaru raised his gaze to the struggling twin blades Ijo and Yijo. "to shut this infernal noise once and for all."

* * *

Rin breathed in the fresh air. It was high summer and the surrounding tree blossoms were alive in the air spiraling down to land on Rin like soft fragrant rain. She giggled to herself as one landed on her nose. She had been a guest at the Middle Province palace for almost two weeks now. Every time Rin suggested go back to Inuyasha's home the couple refused saying it was refreshing to have her here. Ishan had to travel to the Northern Lands to trade and was just coming back. Preparations for his return had been given to Rin so she did not feel so useless. Kia and her father had left only two days before. It seemed some plans had changed so they were off to the Isles provinces before heading back home. Rin was glad she had spent time with her friend. Already she could feel herself healing. She knew what it was she had to do to recover. The question was did she want to do that. She knew she had to build a life outside of Sesshoumaru. In a way Ishan had been right. Her Lord had kept her sheltered, she hardly knew anyone on a personal level. But it was hard trying-no forcing herself to not think of Sesshoumaru. She found that the more she searched herself the more she realized how very long she had loved him for and how impossible her love for him was. It hurt far too much.

"You look beautiful covered in blossoms."

Rin jumped at the unknown voice and reacted on instinct. She flipped from her sitting position, backward on one hand, to level a blade to the throat of Ishan Sashine. Ishan slid his eyes to his left, wide with the speed of her reaction, to meet hers. Hurriedly she tucked the blade away and bowed. "My apologies Lord Ishan you startled me very much. I hope I did not hurt you in anyway." Rin mentally hit herself over the head. Such carelessness would disappoint her Lord, if he had been here.

"No no." Ishan placed a hand on Rin's shoulder. 'I apologize for startling you, I didn't mean to." He hooked his finger under her chin to raise her from her bow. "I did mean it though, you look beautiful covered in blossoms."

Rin was taken aback. What was she to do? What was she to say to this? Was there some polite rebuttal she had been taught with etiquette that she just forgot? She smiled shakily "Thank you, Lord Ishan."

He smiled an easy smile and Rin found the corners of her mouth turning upward, slightly. "Please, call me Ishan. I want us to be good friends. May I simply call you Rin?" He began to walk and gestured for her to join him. Rin thought for a moment. If she were in the West Sesshoumaru would have been irate if she were to accept.

"Yes and thank you. I want us to be good friends too." There was silence but Rin hardly noticed. She was captured in the wonder of the Sashine's courtyard garden. Many trees with different colored blossoms lined behind one another intermingling their blossoms and creating lavished arrays of colors. As they exited the other side Rin came back to reality, she could feel Ishan's eyes on her. Innocently, she turned to see what it was he wanted and he kissed her. Rin froze unaccustomed to this kind of contact. Ishan moved his lips slightly and Rin felt a tingle go up her spine before he backed away enough to look in her eyes. "You must be the most beautiful ningen that has ever existed because you are the most beautiful female I have ever seen, youkai and all." Ishan backed away taking Rin's gasping expression and silence as awe. "Good day Lady Rin."

Rin stood still for long afterward. For some reason she felt as if she had betrayed someone as if she had give something away. That was her first kiss and yet she didn't feel as if she wanted to give it to Ishan. Tears, as silent as the moon ran down her face. She wanted her Lord, she wanted him now.

* * *

**[A/N] I have just included a vary tedious piece I worked on ALL NIGHT just for you lovlies!!**

---------**[**http://s183**.**photobucket**].**com/albums/x308/bellhopper21/?action=view¤t=&t=1246897231189 **(there seems to be a problem uploading a link so to view this just copy and take out the brackets)**

**This is a link to the official map of Ningen Impossibilites, loosly based on Japan. Lol I made a few modifications to the lands so it wont perfectly resemble the island of Japan but......I hope you all enjoy! I want this to paint a clearer picture in you head of whats happening when people start running from territory to territory! Review and tell me how you like it!**

**Smootches!**


	4. Just a glimpse of him

**[A/N] Here we have it folks. ****Here are some reviewers I absolutely look forward to hearing from!**

**--Ronwixziv Barreiro (not sure how to pronounce that Lol)  
--Hattaru (I love your enthusiasm!)  
--Ikasury (your creative reviews have intrigued me since the very first one! I always look forward to hearing from you!)**

* * *

**Ningen Impossibilities **

**Chapter Three**

Lord Hibina stalked around his chamber is a sort of a prowl. It was disturbing news to hear Rin had moved to the Middle provinces. "Juno report!"

The Kitsune messenger appeared, bowed, behind his Lord. "The ningen woman has indeed developed a relationship with Ishan. I cannot tell how serious it is or if Lady Rin feels any intimate attraction to him. I can say, my Lord, that they have not mated each other yet." Hibina growled to himself and waved the Kitsune away. Things were not following the sequence he had originally thought. He would have to find a way to wiggle himself in between Ishan and Rin before things got serious. Hibina summoned his servants, instructing them to ready his things for travel. Soon he would begin trade with the Middle provinces.

* * *

Rin sighed again. It seemed the rain would stop no time soon. She hadn't realized how much time she spent out of the palace, and today it was all too apparent. Lady Sashine took advantage of this day and ordered new kimonos for Rin, consequentially Rin had to fitted all day for different styles. The girl had given up trying to sneak out and just settled for standing, hours on end, and being measured in every way possible. Lady Sashine stood watch like a guard dog.

"My Lady, is it necessary for so many measurements?" Rin asked what she had been wanting to all day.

The Lady nodded. "My dear, if one does not measure then how is one to know how much material is needed? All these measurements are necessary so that the kimonos drape nicely the way they are envisioned. Or if desired the kimono can hug the curves of the body the way they are envisioned."

Rin was quiet as she absorbed this food for thought. Her Lord always had made loose fitting kimonos for her that synched her waist and draped down straight so that she could move her legs. Rin had seen the style that fit the female like a glove and even hindered walking in smooth, long strides. Rin did not want that. "My Lady, if I may ask, I would not like for you to make any kimonos that hinder walking for me."

Lady Sashine gave a knowing smirk. "I would never my dear." She closed a fan she had been playing with, in a snap. "I am going to ready another guest room, it seems the Southern Lands have something they wish to trade us for. Meanwhile I trust you will stay here and not sneak off. I need you to have a fresh wardrobe of kimonos if you are to accompany me to the Winter Solstice festival." With that the Lady left leaving Rin to bear being turned and thrusted about. Rin was eternally glad when at last the women asked Rin to describe patterns of her liking or her favorite colors and went about their way. The moon was high and the rain had given the land a fresh cool atmosphere that was heaven in the dead heat of summer. Even though fall was approaching and the heat should have been dwindling down, Rin knew this summer would last longer than others. There was a knock on her door and she could sense Lord Ishan on the other side. She had been trying to avoid being anywhere alone with him since his stolen kiss. It wasn't that she had hated it, but she hadn't really known it was going to happen and she had severely mixed feelings. What she didn't need was to make an ultimatum or awkward feelings in the house she was guest in.

"You may enter." She called reluctantly, opening the shoji doors to her balcony. Maids and manservant rushed about down stairs carting goods and cleaning. Ishan stood beside her watching the bustle below them. "They are preparing for another guest? I heard Lady Sashine say briefly that the Southern ambassador is coming to trade?"

Ishan nodded not looking at all perturbed by this. "Yes but the Southern ambassador is not coming, the Lord himself is."

"Oh, Lord Hibina? Why would he come all this way just to trade?"

Ishan shrugged. "Do you know him?" he asked a little taken aback.

Slowly Rin nodded. She supposed she could say he was the reason she was exiled, but she didn't think he did it on purpose. It was all just a misunderstanding. "We danced at the Kariputchu." She decided to leave the other bit of history out. "Are you acquainted with him?" she asked trying to move the subject.

Ishan nodded enthusiastically, a smile lighting up his tanned features. "We are good friends. I spend my winters in the South usually because I don't really like the cold and the land is full of hi-youkai. They practically warm the country themselves." He chuckled a little. "Plus we are about the same age; he's a little older of course but only by a decade or so."

Rin nodded taking this in. "He is an extremely young ruler."

"Yes but he rules his country well, would you not say?"

Rin shrugged offhandedly. "I was not educated on regular Southern politics, only its history. My Lord made sure that I did not waste time learning about subjects he deemed unimportant."

Ishan laughed in a slightly insulting way. "So what were you instructed on?"

Rin took a moment to gather her thoughts. "I was taught the intricate history of the Western Lands, Eastern Lands, Middle Provinces and the Underwater Province. I was educated on the history of the relationships between ningen and youkai, then ningen body, the youkai body, including all their pressure points. Also noble mannerisms, reproduction, observation skills, survival and how to run a household."

Ishan chuckled. "You forgot your combat training. What weapons do you know how to use."

For some reason Rin felt uneasy answering this question, but she thought about it. Even if she did tell him it was not like it would hinder the fact that she knew how to use them. "I can wield a short sword, long sword, twin blades, daggers, kunais, spears, staffs, long bow, short bow and scythes."

Ishan looked at her astonished, his perception of her changing. She was a killing machine. "Did you leave anything out?"

It took Rin a moment to figure out he was joking. She covered her mouth and gave a maidenly giggle. "No, I do not believe I am." Rin suddenly sobered. "It does not matter though, my blades are not hear with me and I am not as well acquainted with other forms of weaponry. I simply know the basics."

Ishan smirked. "Well then would you like to spar tomorrow, first thing in the morning?"

Rin looked wary for a moment. "I do not think that would be such a good idea."

Ishan cocked his head to the side in confusion. "Why not Rin?"

Rin blushed suddenly piquing the young Lord's curiosity. "Well, in the West I used to spar with youkai all the time until…" She trailed off embarrassed. Ishan pegged her further, needing to know what happened. "until I killed a general by accident. Then few would willingly spar with me. Often my Lord would make a youkai he was displeased with, spar with me as a form of punishment. I was always instructed to hold nothing back so it can hardly be held against me. If the youkai survived then he was humiliated. I was always worried that resentment would grow toward me but my Lord told me I had nothing to worry about. So I didn't worry." Rin spoke in a rush. She didn't know why she was embarrassed to admit this. It brought back memories of one night after she was cleaning the blood of another fallen general off her sword she heard them talking amongst themselves. They called her words like "barbarian" or "beast" and Rin remembered that being the first time she felt unfeminine and ugly. Ever since that day she became embarrassed whenever anyone praised her on defeating another youkai.

Ishan stared straight ahead simply trying to digest what was being told to him. This woman, this ningen woman was a force to be reckoned with and yet he was curious. "I will spar with you. We shall both be careful to bear no harm toward the other." They fell into a comfortable silence and watched the scene below them. Rin was suddenly aware of how close Ishan was and her heart picked up the pace slightly. Rin calmed herself, she was used to mellowing her demeanor in battle, but this was a different kind of fight. She wondered if it would go unnoticed if she moved over a little and created some space that she could have sworn had been there before. There was a knock on her door and Rin thanked Kami-sama as she flew to open it.

A maid bowed. "Lady Rin, Lady Sashine requests that you join her for a bath." Rin accepted and with a farewell to Ishan the two parted ways and Rin's alarm rate dwindled back down. She was going to have to watch Ishan much more closely.

Lady Sashine was already submersed into the steaming water by the time Rin arrived. The maids practically ripped the clothing from the young ningen's body and left her alone with the Lady of the palace. Rin let her thick wavy hair down to idle at the back of her thighs. Lady Sashine's hair floated all around her in a large pool of blank white. The lack of color reminded her of her Lord's hair, but his was silver while this youkai was simply albino. Rin slowly eased herself in the hot water. "My Lady if I may ask, how did you get such a rich brown?"

Lady Sashine seemed to awaken from a steam induced stupor. "Sun my dear. Centuries of sun has backed me a golden brown. It was one of my attributes that attracted Suzari, that and our similar eyes." Rin took time to study the older female. She was beautiful to no doubt. The wind youkai carried an easy grace that commanded authority, but around her husband it was easy to see she was submissive like a good wife. "And you my dear? As much sun as the West receives, and I know you like to spend time outdoors, still you are as pale as Lord Sesshoumaru himself. How is that?"

Rin thought it over. "I am not sure. I must be my genes." The ningen was scrubbing her hair, while Lady Sashine was doing the same. However she had far longer hair than Rin and it was proving to be difficult. Without hesitation Rin moved to help and Lady Sashine let Rin wash her hair.

"Lord Huyoko Hibina is set to arrive in a few hours or so. We shall have late tea with him before he retires." Rin hummed her approval and combed through her hostess long hair with a wide bone comb. "I'm afraid we will have to dress in yukatas of last year's fashion, the ones I ordered recently have not arrived yet." Lady Sashine prated on about fashion comings and goings and how ningen fashion and youkai fashion were alike and similar. Finally, when Rin felt she was in danger of passing out and drowning, a maid came to tell them it was time to dress if they were to be presentable before Lord Hibina's arrival.

Rin was given a starch white yukata with blood red cherry blossoms that appeared to gather at her sleeves and Lady Sashine chose a fitting yukata of deep blue that contrasted beautifully with her pale blue eyes. Lady Sashine wore her hair down, but Rin, unaccustomed to low land heat, requested her hair be twisted about her head and off her neck. A few tendrils that escaped hung down her neck but the thick robe that was her hair was safely bundled atop her head. When the ladies entered the room all stood out of respect, including Lord Sashine. Rin was sure this was because of the Lady; she was positive the same response would not be done for just her.

She spotted Lord Hibina, who had been talking joyously with both Ishan and Suzari. He stared openly at Rin as she walked to greet him. "Lord Hibina, Lord Suzari, Lord Ishan." She bowed politely before turning to Hibina. "How was your travel?" Rin asked pleasantly.

The hi-youkai smirked. "Perfect now that I have seen your face. I do believe we left on a bad note." Rin could see where this was going and mentally prepared herself for the insult she was sure he was going to throw at her. "Lady Rin I am sorry for any misfortune I have caused you." Rin was taken aback. She gazed at him in puzzlement.

"Lord Hibina it was not your fault in the least. It was a misunderstanding I assure you. However my Lord does not forgive well and for now I am exiled. It was clearly an error of judgment on my part."

Lord Hibina shook his head vigorously, his high black ponytail gliding across his back. He grasped Rin's hands in a purely sincere gesture. "No no Lady Rin. I am convinced and I have decided I will make it up to you somehow. I know it must be terrifying to be exiled from the only home you have known. I feel it is my responsibility to help you the best I can since I invariably caused this disaster for you." His blood red eyes glowed in a way that caught Rin's attention. For a moment she was left staring into them.

Finally he released her hands and Rin nodded dumbly. "As you wish Lord Hibina."

The demon smiled a fangy smirk. "Very good. Now back to our prior topic of discussion," And like that the small group plunged back into the prior conversation. Rin opened her large fan and fanned herself slowly, unconsciously trying to adjust herself to Middle Land heat. The West was full of highlands, especially the palace, that rested on atop a large rise, so the winters were harsh and the summers always breezy. Here the heat seemed to stick to her like oil on skin and it was hard to adjust to. Rin felt her eyes flicker to Hibina subconsciously. He was far more attractive than she remembered and his eyes were alluring in an almost eerie sort of way. Once Rin caught herself staring at Hibina a little too long and felt another pair of eyes on her. She turned her gaze to see Ishan watching her stare at Hibina. She began to blush and wished for nothing more than to retire to her chamber. Sadly she knew she was fated to stay right in her spot until her host and hostess decided to leave.

"Lady Rin are you alright? You have been awfully quiet." Hibina asked.

Rin gave a soft smile, her eye lids at half mast. "It is nothing, I am just tired."

"But of course, it is late and you ladies must be tired. I suggest we call it a night. Tomorrow we will have plenty of time to visit." He looked to Suzari for confirmation. The amiable Lord nodded his consent and the party broke for the night. As Rin was escorted to her room she thought about Hibina's demand to make it up to her. The last thought as she closed her eyes and fell into unconsciousness was the slight glow from the depth of those alluring blood red eyes and the natural heat Lord Hibina emanated.

* * *

The night was in its thick but Sesshoumaru felt like he had slept for years. He was anxious and ready to be about the task of destroying the swords he had made for Rin. Jaken was strapped to Au-Un and one royal envoy was to accompany the Lord. "Everything is ready my Lord. Lord Zenno is expecting you within two day journey at the Middle and Northern Lands border. It will be a hard run." The envoy wished to suggest to his Lord that perhaps telling Lord Zenno to expect them in three days would be much more beneficial but he risked offending Sesshoumaru, who was in no shape or form to be offended. Sesshoumaru gave a tight nod.

"Then let us leave." The Lord took off at break neck speed, his dragon a couple meters or so behind him and his envoy a couple meters or so behind Au-Un. Sesshoumaru calculated that if he remained at this speed, then he would be in the heart of the Middle Provinces by midday next day.

* * *

Rin grunted silently as she miscalculated Ishan's dexterity and had to avoid a last minute swing that could have severed her head. "My Lady I would appreciate it if you would stop going so easy on me." Ishan seemed a bit annoyed. Rin tip toed around him on the defensive more than offensive simply because she was scared of hurting him.

"Please Lord Ishan, I have not been taught the meaning of restraint. My Lord did not believe in it, not when it came to battle, mock or not. I could hurt you if I miscalculate." Rin gave a wide flip and maneuvered her sword so that is was behind her back as she steadily dodged Ishan's attacks. To say he was weak was wrong but he fought with a certain amount of arrogance that he had not earned yet in life. Lady and Lord Sashine watched along with Lord Hibina and some of the surrounding youkai royalty that had come to visit with Lord Hibina. Rin really did not want to embarrass Ishan. She knew full well that hurting a youkai's pride, especially male, often made enemies in an irrevocable way. Still Rin was growing tired of having to dodge him as well. They had moved to a large open plain a couple miles from the palace where the trees did not hinder the breeze coming from the ocean. It was approaching evening, and the hottest part of the day was dwindling down to low beams or sun that would last another hour or two.

"If you wish it Lord Ishan." Rin flipped her blade in a showy manner."I will fight you and try to keep from killing you." She spoke with a wry smile and Ishan returned it with as much arrogance as he had been carrying all night.

"Thank you, Lady ningen." Rin sniffed and ran straight for him. He was far away enough where he had time to block an attack but Rin did not attack she jumped over him and lunged her sword back hoping she would run right through him. But he was gone. Rin knelt just as the sword sliced through the place where her neck used to be. She thrust both her feet upward, catching Ishan in the chin and sending him sailing forward over her, as she flipped quickly and set to slashing at his clothes. By the time he hit the floor in a tuck and roll his outer robes were scraps. He gave a smile and a nod and tore his hakama off to leave only his white hoari.

"You still want more?" Rin asked, her coy manner flowing almost unconsciously. He ran for her but his time Rin did not doge. With swift calculation Rin moved her arm so that his sword pierced her through the top of her hakama and missed her body completely. She locked one foot on top of his and another behind his heel while she shifted her weight to make him fall. But Ishan forced her foot backward with the strength of a youkai making Rin fall into a split between his legs. Unexpected as this was Rin's mind still races. She swung her back leg around and up to catch the heel on his arm and hoisted herself up to put the other foot right on his shoulder and launch into the air. Both swords sprung into the air and the sleeve of her hakama fell away to expose her bare arm and shoulder. Rin landed behind Ishan and caught both sword. She set into her stance with a flourish.

Ishan laughed and clapped his hands. "You are truly marvelous Lady Rin."

Rin bowed, "I thank you Lord-" Something in her body trembled. Her head snapped to the West, toward the rapidly declining sun. She could feel it stronger and stronger. The singing hum of her swords Ijo and Yijo, they were moving toward her and they were moving fast.

"Lady Rin?" Ishan was asking what the matter was when Rin dropped the swords and ran. She ran with all her might not toward the her swords but in a path that would meet them. Whoever this was that had her sword was moving far too fast of Rin to keep up if she headed straight on. She could feel Ishan following her and farther back Hibina but they were too far behind. They yelled to her, called for her to stop but she didn't listen. She was coming closer to the path of her swords when she felt him. The steady flow of the aura of her Lord, it filled her with a giddy high. It had been so long that she felt she had forgotten how powerful he was. They were nearing the Northern Lands and she was directly in the path of her Lord. Once she cleared the trees she stopped. He was running in a steady speed that was much too fast. He broke the cover of trees and Rin felt her heart flutter. He was like an angel of death. His long silver hair flew behind him, he had forgone his pelt but Rin could see the hilts of Ijo and Yijo trembling terribly on his back.

He stopped short a hundred yards from her, his eyes seemed to take in her disheveled appearance. Rin was at a loss of what to say or do. Slowly he stalked toward her and Rin wondered if he would kill her or not. Either way she would not fight him whatever his desire was. But he surprised her, with his golden eyes connected with hers he moved to the side as if to pass by without coming too close to her. Rin felt herself move before she was even sure what she was doing, and intercepted his path. Sesshoumaru gave a soft growl and Rin saw his dragon and envoy catch up. For once Jaken had nothing to say.

Sesshoumaru had stopped moving his eyes glued to Rin as if she were the risk to his life. "My Lord," Rin whispered she took a small step toward him. She was suddenly struck with the thought, if he really wanted to he could sail past her and there would be nothing she could do. The swords on his back broke free and sailed, blade first, toward her. Subconsciously Rin caught the handles as they went by and flipped them together in one hand. She immediately dropped them, she didn't want her Lord to think she was threatening him. The swords content to be near her, were quiet and submissive. "My Lord," she said again taking another step toward him.

He moved like lightening. So suddenly he was in her face his hand around her throat. She was at a loss of what was going on and why. "You mock me ningen?" Sesshoumaru whispered with hatred.

It was becoming impossible for Rin to breathe let alone talk. Still she did not claw at him or protest his strangling her. She simply tried to will her body to explain herself in spite of lack of oxygen. Sesshoumaru loosened the grip on her neck and wonderful air flew through her throat. "No my Lord." Rin wasted no time pleading. "I would never mock you or purposefully disrespect you, anger you, or dissatisfy you in any way."

Sesshoumaru as prepared as he thought he would be for this moment could not compute her words. He was so sure that she was an usurper, that throwing her out of the West was the best decision, that he had not made a mistake. But her pleading and honest voice sounded so inviting. He could not smell her lying and inside he knew he wished desperately to be wrong, but one thing that had not subsided was the way she made him feel and his resentment toward her for that alone. He was not aware of how long they stood there staring at each other, Rin trying to will her words into fruition inside his head and Sesshoumaru trying to find the lie in her eyes that he knew was there, but the could smell other demons arriving. Most notably Lord Hibina and Lord Sashine. His hand flexed around her necks and the pair could hear the gasp as Lady Sashine took in the sight with the other male youkai.

Sesshoumaru lowered his face to hers, his eyes bleeding red slightly. "You have lied to me."

"Never." Rin shot back before he could even finish. He smelled no fear although his claws could end her life before she blinked. Effortlessly he threw his arm out sending her sailing almost twenty feet before she caught herself on her hands and flipped to her feet. Sesshoumaru turned ready to complete his mission even without her swords but she was running for him with a quickness Sesshoumaru had forgotten. "My Lord wait," out of reflexes he spun and extended his claws to swipe at her but she dodged expertly falling to her knees to slide under his arm and on his other side. She stood quickly and held out her hands defensively. "I have never betrayed you! Who has mislead you?" He swiped again, Rin moved fast but he was faster and this time he caught her cheek right under her eye. She barely noticed and took a leap backwards. "Please my Lord believe me."

"Liar." He stated simply and moved to continue on his bath but she barred his way yet again. His nails began to drip poison with agitation. "Leave my sight." Slowly his whip began go elongate from his fingers.

"Rin please!" It was Lady Sashine that called but Suzari clamped a hand on her shoulder.

"I will not." Rin stated in such a manner that lacked insolence and was full of the solitary conviction of a martyr. Still the Lord was shocked into silence and was genuinely confused when Rin ran toward him. Her hair broke free and she gave a quick jump and locked her arms around his neck her body falling to into place along his. She hugged the astonished Lord. "I am sorry." She whispered. For a moment nothing happened then quite suddenly he was gone. Rin looked upward to see the ki form of himself flying off toward the North. Au-Un and the envoy followed without a word. Rin was suddenly filled with indignation. "You cannot continue to run from me!" She yelled to the fleeting light. Then more to herself she whispered. "You will see I am innocent." She didn't feel the tears falling down her face, but the smell permeated the whole area. Lady Sashine was next to her in the next instance. She wrapped a warm hoari around her. Who's Rin was not sure.

"You don't know how hard it was for me to see that just now." The Lady confided in her. "I have grown too fond of you." Rin felt her body shaking. All the fear and adrenaline that she had pushed aside to confront her Lord, were over taking her body now. Her world was slowly going black. The last thing she remembered she was being lifted and the breeze of the night air was running across her face.

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**[A/N] I would sooo appreciate if you could review, not only for this chapter, but for my map as well! Thankx!**


	5. Sudden Decisions

**[A/N] Here ya go. This one is short on purpose to lead up to the next chappie which will be long! I'm think 5000 words minimum! First Lemon of the fic here folks so rev up your engines! Also I got that Map worked out so check out my profile for the link. It'll really help you envision the to and fro traveling in this fic. Don't forget to review!! Enjoy. **

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**Ningen Impossibilities **

**Chapter Four**

Sesshoumaru felt like hell. His body was trembling, his mind was racing and his wretched senses were reliving the sensations of Rin pressed against him. Damn her, damn that cursed, insufferable ningen! The inu-youkai stalked across the top of a high mountain. He should have gone straight to the rendezvous point with Zenno but he was distracted and….flushed. Sesshoumaru growled at the rising sun. Her words sounded so true and rang through his head over and over again. He was unable to decide what to do. He hated that most. Around that tiny ningen female, he experienced more indecision than in all his life. Sesshoumaru spent until the sun was well into the sky, stalking around the peak of a stone mountain, often unleashing his frustration on the quiet giants until he came to his solution. His best offense against her would be to stay away, far, far away from her. With no more hesitation, Sesshoumaru bolted to the Middle Province and Northern Land border. His business with Lord Zenno, the wolf youkai Lord of the North, was quick and he was left with two options on his way home. He could go back the way he came and hope he didn't pass Rin, or he could travel to the edge of the North and sail to the West. The latter option took more time but looked better.

By time the sun was setting Sesshoumaru and his company were just leaving the harbor. Jaken inched toward his master. "My Lord, I have just received word that Lord Nanjo is at the palace."

For once Sesshoumaru was glad to hear this. "Good. Tell him to stay, I wish to speak with him."

* * *

Ishan arrived at the make shift harbor, flitting down the high cliffs the palace was built on, and pulled on a cloak. He hopped into a canoe made for two and blew in the direction of his choice. The wind obeyed him and soon his little boat was headed around the harbor at a high speed. He needed to be back before dawn, especially since the sun was just setting. A little nook in the coast showed that he was at the right spot. He turned the ship and headed out farther into the ocean. About five miles out he stopped and waited. A figure materialized, rising from the water like a nymph. Ishan studied the dark hair, the pale skin and elegant features. As she stepped into his little boat Ishan turned it back and headed to the nook in the harbor. The couple said nothing. They knew how dangerous what they were doing was. They knew the risks they were taking and the severity of the consequences as well. Ishan docked the boat to a piece of the cliff and the two flitted up until they found the cave they were looking for. Ishan let his guest in first then followed after. Only after the two found their secret den did they talk.

"My Love," She exclaimed wrapping her arms around him. "it has been too long. I thought I would die earlier this year when I was so close to you and yet so far."

Ishan tightened his hold. "I know, but it will not be for long. Soon you will come of age and your official season will start. Then I will court you and our nations will be joined in marriage." Ishan held her face. "You are the most beautiful female I have ever seen, youkai and all." He wasted no time crashing his mouth on hers. Slowly their tongues danced against each other. Ishan lowered her slowly on the heaps of luxurious fabrics and downed quilts. He kissed her slowly and she submitted to his every whim. If he wanted to tilt her head one way then she allowed it, if he wanted to lift her leg then she complied. Her robes fell away piece by piece until her naked pale skin was all that was left. Ishan turned her on her stomach in one swift movement. His lips found the base of her neck and he traveled downward lavishing her body with feathery kisses and dips with his tongue.

He began to strip away his own robes eager to satisfy his craving. His tongue never stopped. He came to the round of her ass and used his hands to massage her flesh. She moaned for him, her sound muffled by fabrics. His tongue dipped into her most moist folds and she arched up to show a lovely bow and every piece of her spine. Ishan moved his tongue, waiting until she was almost dripping before he reared her up and slowly entered from behind. She keened and gasped, shaking her head. He moved slowly building up the pleasure. He could feel the sensations stacking on top of each other. He pulled her up and held her against his chest, while he picked up speed. His thrusts became harder and faster, as did her pants and pleas that he find that bundle inside her and release it. His hand went around to her stomach and slid down to pleasure her.

She was at her cusp. "I- Ish-Ishan!" She called as the wind-youkai moved his hips at an amazing speed. A face materialized in his mind. He imagined it wrought with pleasure and calling his name. He bit his lip to keep from calling the wrong name. Ishan felt himself coming and pulled out of her, his seed spurted on the fabrics below. Not sure if his partner had come as well, he continued to massage her until she spasmed and he could feel the liquid running down her legs. The two collapsed and for a while laid in each other's arms, but soon Ishan got up and the two began to dress again.

"When can we meet again my love?" She asked worried of the way her lover was acting. He seemed jittery, as if eager to get back.

"I do not know. Things are hectic right now. The Lord of the South is at my home, I was lucky I found time to sneak away. When there is time I will send you a message. Until then, take my love as sustenance." He kissed her deeply and began to pull her out of the cave. Once outside the two donned their cloaks and did not utter another word. The jumped back to the small boat and Ishan commanded the wind back to the place they were before. She cast him one last loving glance as she stepped over the boat and sunk back into the deep blue ocean. Ishan sailed back to the make shift harbor behind the palace and docked his boat. He dug a ditch and took off his clothes. Throwing them in, he set them on fire and stood close to the smoke, letting it permeate his skin and body until all he could smell was the thick smog. Afterward he went for a dip in the ocean and donned the fresh clothing he had prepared. He smelt of nothing but the ocean water, the smoke had neutralized any other odor. As he snuck back into his chamber he was grateful for his speed. At least he would have a few hours to sleep.

* * *

Rin stared at the bright moon. She was at a loss. All day she had been in a monotonous glaze, following Lady Sashine like a lost puppy while her mind was miles away. She couldn't even remember what she had eaten for dinner, if she had eaten dinner. She didn't feel hungry or thirsty, enraged or even sad. Just lost. She had fallen to sleep but a couple hours after she had woken up, restless and feeling the void in herself open wider. However there were no tears and for that Rin was sure it she was making progress. She reminded herself that she needed sleep to be refreshed in the morning but found that she could not. So Rin sat on her terrace and stared at the moon, her legs crossed and her hands resting on each knee. She meditated, internally organizing herself and her feelings. Lady Sashine had told her that these were the laziest days, between the Winter solstice and Lord Hibina's birthday in the height of fall. Rin knew what she needed. She needed to get out and explore. She had been with the Sashine house for almost two months now and as hospitable as they were, they were too quiet and docile for her tastes. She better preferred the noisy almost violent atmosphere at Inuyasha's home, than the quiet tranquility of the Middle Provinces Palace.

The face of a mentor of hers popped into her head. She would travel there and seek answers. He was the only one with enough knowledge to answer the crazy questions roaming in her head. There were some things she just did not understand about her Lord. She was sure Mina Nanjo would know everything there was to know about him and right now she needed someone who wasn't afraid of Sesshoumaru to speak truthfully to her. She was almost positive Mima was the only one. The sun was rising when she set out a piece of parchment and wrote her letter. By mid morning it was already headed toward the East.

* * *

"I see you've made yourself at home." Sesshoumaru spoke to the figure reading in his personal garden. "I will be with you shortly, I wish to bathe." Mima simply nodded not bothering to look up from the scroll he was reading. Sesshoumaru returned a while later wearing only a pair of thin material hakama pants. The summer nights were starting to cool into fall but they were still too hot for his liking. He would rather wear nothing at all, but knew that was improper of one with his blood. "You wish to speak with me?" Sesshoumaru asked jumping to what was now his usual perching place.

Nanjo set down his scroll and hopped in an opposite branch. He sighed. "Why pup, is it when I am away you make the strangest decisions?"

Sesshoumaru growled lightly but there was no true anger in it. He was ready to face this topic, for some reason he needed someone else's opinion on the matter. Maybe it would give him some sort of clue to tell him if his decision was the right one. Not that he would ever tell Nanjo that. "She is a traitor, an usurper."

"Who told you this?" Nanjo asked with the quiet patience of his years.

"I inferred such."

"What brought you to this conclusion?"

Sesshoumaru opened his mouth to retort but closed it suddenly. What had convinced him of her treachery? He thought back to that night. "She told me she loved me." He said almost to himself rather than the demon sitting across from him.

"So she is a traitor and usurper because she loves you?"

Sesshoumaru grit his teeth not liking how stupid Nanjo was making him feel. "She knows better than to utter those words in my house. I do not love. She was baiting me Nanjo, trying to make me contradict myself and everything I stand for." There was a quiet fury in his voice as he spoke.

Nanjo was quiet for a moment. "Sesshoumaru do you forget what she is?"

Sesshoumaru was confused by the question. "You mean human?"

"Yes, and what else?"

"Young."

"Well, yes but what else?"

"Strong, independent, resourceful, loyal."

"Well I suppose you can scratch loyal off according to you. But that was not what I meant. Even through her speed and strength, Rin is but a ningen woman. You can toughen her exterior Sesshoumaru, but you can not forget that she has instincts greater than you. Just because she has fallen in love with you, does not mean she is trying to plot a secret rebellion against you, or try to kill you in your sleep."

Sesshoumaru was quiet for a long while. He thought about his mentor's words. "I understand what you say, Nanjo. But if she cannot control her emotions, if this ningen instinct is far too strong for her, then it is best that she not serve the West any longer. It is time she liver her life elsewhere."

Nanjo studied Sesshoumaru. "Your father left you something." Sesshoumaru's head snapped up. "He told me to 'keep it until the day my son knows the helplessness and suffering of love.'" The old inu-youkai jumped down from his perch on the tree. Sesshoumaru did not respond. "If you wish to see it you must come to my home. I cannot bring it to the West." Nanjo began to leave.

"What is it?" Sesshoumaru called.

Mima looked back at him, an old cunning in his eye. "You will see it when you come." With that the old dog left Sesshoumaru to his thoughts.

* * *

"Are you absolutely positive you must leave?" Lady Sashine seemed as close to sentimental as Rin ever remembered her seeing.

"I must my Lady. I apologize. I will be back to accompany you to the Winter Solstice Festival, I promise." Rin smiled reassuringly. Lady Sashine nodded, seeming defeated.

"I do hope you remain safe. I know you are strong, but you head is a pretty one to conquer. There are many that would love to say they were the ones to kill you Rin please remember that."

"Are you still not sure where you are going?" Lord Hibina asked, his face the perfect picture of concern. Rin had made sure she told them all this morning that this was something she needed to do alone and she had no idea where she was going other than stopping by Inuyasha's village, and for that she needed no escort.

"No I do not. I think I just need time to myself to clear myself." She looked away. "Perhaps find the more ningen part of myself." No one responded. Rin was used to it by now. Youkai often forgot she wan ningen after mere hours of being around her. She bowed again seeing Lady and Lord Sashine's faces of quiet disapproval but acceptance. Lord Hibina's face of concern but understanding, and Ishan's face of confusion and blatant disapproval. "I will be back soon." Rin hopped on the large black stallion she had picked and sped expertly toward the south where she would hit Inuyasha's village and continue downward until she hit the Eastern Lands. She rode hard until well past midnight encountering absolutely no ningens, no youkai and little wildlife. By the time she reached Inuyasha's village her stallion was in great need for rest and Rin felt the same.

Inuyasha met her at the gate. "Back already?" He asked with a warm smile. "Kagome missed you like crazy kid. Come on you look like hell get some rest and you women can catch up in the morning." Rin simply nodded glad that here she could be a little more relaxed. Here she felt more safe and here she felt closer to home.

* * *

Lord Nanjo was traveling home on his dragon when his Kitsune envoy Hojishi appeared next to him. "My Lord you have received a message from Lady Rin." The messenger handed Nanjo the rolled parchment. The old inu-youkai read it quietly. Finally he turned to Hojishi.

"Tell the house to prepare two rooms. It seems we will have visitors." Hojishi bowed before disappearing again. Nanjo contemplated on this predicament. He wondered if it was wise to hole Sesshoumaru and Rin in the same palace. Especially with the gossip floating around the Sesshoumaru swore to kill her the next time he saw her. But Nanjo knew. He could tell just by looking at the pup. Sesshoumaru would just as soon tear off his left arm again, than to kill Rin. He wasn't sure if he could say 'love' just yet, but Sesshoumaru had something very close to it for Rin. An actual place in that frost box inside his chest that most people would call a heart.

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**[A/N] Review Review and don't forget to check out my profile for the link to the official NI map! Next chappie………………………..'Getting an understanding'**


	6. Getting an Understanding

**[A/N] I promised 5000 so here is 5000! Review Review Review!! This is my largest chapter so far, besides the Preface (which took me a month to write) So tell me what ya think! Enjoy!**

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**Ningen Impossibilities**

**Chapter Five**

Rin woke to the smell of fresh cooked meat meant for breakfast. Inuyasha's small palace was the only one Rin knew where the Lady of the house cooked. Kagome hummed as Rin rounded into the kitchen, half stumbling from slumber with the smell drawing her like a tangible lead. She plopped down cross legged at the table in the corner of the kitchen. In a way, Kagome's home was very unusual but had an inviting and almost familial comfort about it.

Kagome giggled as she eyed the barely conscious Rin. "Was it the smell that woke you?" Rin nodded, yawned and scratched her head at the same time. "Here," Kagome placed a plate full of some sort of cooked meat strips and rice balls that smelled delicious. "hurry and eat this before-"

"Oy wench!" Inuyasha stomped in. "What did I tell you about sharing my baikeds!"

Kagome tried not to laugh. "Its bacon, dog boy, and be nice. Rin is a guest."

Inuyasha eyed the plate full of meat and rice. Rin watched him warily moving the plate closer to her person. Quick as lightning he snatched two pieces up and stuffed them in his mouth. Rin cried her outrage by snatching Inuyasha's hair and wailing out Kagome's name.

"I saw that! Sit boy!" Kagome yelled almost simultaneously. Inuyasha's face went into the polished wooden floor. Rin let go of his hair and Kagome had forgotten they weren't outside with the soft dirt to cushion his fall. Both women looked at each other and laughed while Inuyasha picked himself up and quietly plotted the stealing of more baikeds.

* * *

Rin inhaled the fresh uninhabited air. She flitted, with no small difficulty, to the next tree some almost thirty feet away. She was getting rusty. She had challenged Inuyasha to some sparring, grateful that she wouldn't have to hold back on the resilient hanyou, and had found out that her few months in an almost stalemate like behavior had ridden her complacent. Rin could sense his aura. It was a lot like Sesshoumaru's only less, malignant; almost carefree. And yet it was not strength he lacked from Sesshoumaru, it was a sense of ruthlessness and mercilessness that was interpreted as weakness as a rule by youkai. It was his human heart that made his aura so outstanding from his brothers. She found it easier and easier to get back into her old grove, leaping from branch to branch, pausing at random intervals to hear the slightest twinge in a branch or rustle in the leaves. But this was Inuyasha's forest, he knew every sapling and leaf here. So far Rin had absolutely no idea where he was.

"Oh come on Inuyasha! We could do this all year and I would never find you." Rin paused on a particularly high branch, hoping to spot the tell tale sign of red that she always imagined would be his downfall. She spotted nothing. Suddenly shards of something sharp whizzed by her. She moved purely out of reflex only. She glanced back to see it was his blood. It dissolved from shards to pool and slide down the tree. Rin grinned and leapt in the direction they had been released. Inuyasha met her halfway, Tensaiga poised in the air to slash her in half. She had Yijo unleashed and parried in the split second that would have cost her, her life.

Inuyasha chuckled. "You've gotten slow Rin. What happened, no one up there could keep you busy?" He rained another blow on her that almost knocked her to her feet. Inuyasha out powered her by many measures, but Rin was and probably always would be, more agile and dexterous than he was. She shifted to the side and his force locked the blades in the dirt. With a little boost she landed a well placed knee to his temple and the hanyou went skidding a couple feet before he hit a tree. Rin laughed and charged while he pulled himself back up. Inuyasha threw his hand out and more shards of his blood went for her torso. Rin hit the dirt just in time and moved before Tensaiga would split her. Rin had always wondered if the sword was as heavy as it looked, or as light as Inuyasha made it look. The hanyou hacked at her with speed she was amazed at, but also noted it was not with half the force he would use on a youkai. She unleashed Ijo and began to attack with one while she parried with the other. It did little good. Tensaiga was so huge it could attack and parry at the same time. Inuyasha simply attacked diagonally and Rin was left to find an opening and try to maneuver her swords to fit inside.

Finally the two were exhausted and simply stared at each other. "Feel better kiddo?' Inuyasha panted.

Rin nodded with a goofy grin on her face. "You have no idea. The Middle is far to social for my tastes. So many unspoken rules, none of which have anything to do with combat, honor or respect." The in a smaller voice she added. "Not like the West."

Inuyasha scratched his ear. "Yeah I know. Nothing is quite like home. But you can always make home Rin." The hanyou unused to helping anyone emotionally, switched topics in a hurry. "So where are you headed?"

Rin raised a brow to the sky. "How do you know I'm not staying here?"

"You rode a horse." The hanyou chuckled. "I'm not stupid. You thinking of going back West?"

Rin sighed. Inuyasha thought she was on a suicide run. "No, I'm going to see Nanjo-san. He has some answers I really need, if I'm to ever start a life of my own. I can be left to wonder. I need to know."

Inuyasha was quiet for a moment. "What are you looking to find out?" He asked although he was almost positive he already knew.

"Just…just-just why!" Rin exploded. This had to be the first time she could honestly say she was angry with her Lord. "Why is he denying me? Why does he not believe me? Why have I been exiled? Why won't he tell me? Why is he being so stubborn?" Rin could feel the tears coursing now. They were old tears though, shed a million times over already. She barely took notice. She suddenly sat up and swiveled to face Inuyasha. "He says he does not love. Why is that?"

The hanyou had it in his right mind to shrug but something in the back of his mind tugged at him. "The last person Sesshoumaru probably loved was our father. Then when my father fell in love with my mother, well, he felt betrayed. He's just scared to open himself again, he's just afraid to be hurt. It is the youkai way Rin. What demon would relinquish power of themselves over to someone else? That is what love does Rin, it makes you helpless and vulnerable. That's why I fought with Kagome so much in the beginning. But my heart is half human, Sesshoumaru's is not." He glanced a sad look toward Rin, he knew in that look what Miroku had been speculating. Rin was in love with his half brother. "It is best if you don't keep trying Rin. It won't do anything but hurt you. There are so many reasons why he would not love. And then there are so many more why he would not love you. You understand right?"

Rin flopped back down and resumed looking at the sky. She didn't answer because although she understood, she wasn't going to stop trying to find answers. But one thought did come to mind. "I don't need him to love me Inuyasha. I just need him." The exhausted girl sat up and the two of them struggled back to his home. Time passed easily at Inuyasha's estate.

One night Rin and the women laughed around the fire. Inuyasha blushed horribly as the three continued to tease him relentlessly. The moon was full and Rin felt drunk with happiness but something was calling to her. They quieted down and just watched the stars move. "I'm going to leave in the morning." Rin said suddenly.

Kagome gasped. "Really? Why, you've only been here two days?"

Rin flinched, not liking the hurt tone In the older woman's voice. "I know but I have something I have to do. I have to start soon, to the East. I won't be long. I'll definitely be back for long enough to visit with you before I'm whisked off for the Winter Solstice festival."

Kagome pouted but relented. "Fine, but next time you must stay at least a week!"

Rin grinned and nodded. "As you wish." The women giggled and soon they were all asleep. Inuyasha cradled Kagome, her back to his chest. And Kagome cradled Rin, her face buried in Kagome's neck. That was just as the morning found them.

* * *

Sesshoumaru walked next to Mima Nanjo along the corridors of the Eastern Palace. In a way it was grander than the West. The halls were more decorative with tales of ancient wars depicted along the walls, the shoji doors groaned with time in a way that added to the beauty of the old palace. The West's palace was made more for function than beauty It was twice as large as the East but it was mostly sand and hard polished wood, made more like a fortress that could hold thousands of troops in the back terraces alone. Sesshoumaru wondered how many youkai had fought and died just to keep this palace from burning or being broken with siege. Its beauty would probably evoke loyalty from any and all that were to walk its halls.

"You came quicker than I thought."

Sesshoumaru did not respond as the two stepped out to walk through the dense forest that led to the ocean view cliffs. "I am curious to know how my father could imagine me knowing the helplessness of love."

Nanjo chuckled. "I had told Seijimaru the very same thing but he had insisted that you would. So I did as he asked and here we are. I think you know enough to understand what he has for you."

"You failed to mention what exactly this is again." Sesshoumaru tried to inject some venom in his voice, but it was, as it always was with Nanjo, hard to do.

"You will see in good time. Now tell me this, why must I host the Winter Solstice here? It is you turn and you know it you conniving pup."

Sesshoumaru let a smirk grace his normally passionless face. He never played by the rules. He usually detested having large amounts of guests strewn about his palace, but one year the cherry blossoms had been extraordinary and his whole palace looked ethereal with the snow covered in pink. So he had insisted that instead of the Southern Land palace hosting the Winter Solstice that year, he would and thus the feud between Hibina and himself ensued. "I do not wish to host it this year."

"So you thrust it on me?" The old Inu laughed. "I will cease to exist one day and I am left to wonder, who will be your scape goat then?"

Sesshoumaru didn't bat an eye. "Whomever I choose."

Nanjo chuckled more at his young friends hubris. "Come come, you have seen the sun set in the West. But have you ever seen the sun rise in the East?" They broke the cover of the trees just as tiny rays of pink and light blue began to shine.

* * *

Hibina paced back and forth. The sun had just set and the last dying rays gleamed off the ocean. He could feel his blood rushing with anger. The wench had just up and left with no concern of how long or far it had taken him to travel all the way here and now she was going in the opposite direction? Hibina let loose a growl of anger. Five shadows lengthened until they formed a motley band of youkai. "Find her, bind her, and take her to the Southern island. You may need this." Hibina threw a vial of dark black liquid at one of the shadow youkai. He bowed and without another word they melted back into the shadows. He didn't want to have to do this, but this seemed like the only way things would go as he planned. With a sigh Hibina looked to the ocean as a pang of guilt shot through him. "If only you had stayed here instead of running off to grovel at that dogs feet." And then his anger was back and suddenly, he regretted nothing.

* * *

Rin had ridden for a good day solid along the coast. She was just reaching the halfway mark where she could see the Eastern Land coast when she could feel herself being tracked. Her horse was in desperate need for rest and showed it with its frequently growing stumbles and brays, but Rin knew if she stopped she would have to fight and she had no idea how many where tracking her and why. She could leave the horse here and run on foot but she loathed to travel all the way to the East on foot. The only option left would be to find an inn. Most likely in a ningen village. She leaned forward whispering words of encouragement to her stallion, urging it to go forward faster until she smelled a ningen village nearby. Rin rode straight for it letting her horse fall into a gallop. Not wanting to start anything or become too noticeable she settled for leading her horse in and asking for the nearest inn.

Rin was overwhelmed with smells, noises and colors. She had never hears so many children together at one time make so much noise. Or for one woman to wear so many different patterned garments. Or for one man to smell so horrible. She was suddenly grateful when she met her destination. The clerk was a handsome young man that didn't look much younger than herself, probably working for his father. She paid him in gold Middle Province coins and was assured her horse would be groomed and was showed to a small but quaint room near the very top of the inn. She thanked the boy who, for some reason, kept staring at her and quickly observed her surroundings. She found it hard to sleep. There were so many noises and people were still up and about although it was approaching midnight.

Finally things began dwindling down and Rin found she could get some sleep. She was woken, not by the sun that blazed brilliantly through her window, but by the horrible whining coming from the stables. Rin threw open her window and jumped down the five stories to run to her horse. The first sight she was greeted with was blood, but quickly she saw it was not her horses. The corpse of the boy she had seen last night was split up the middle and tossed to separate sides of the room. Rin leapt over the boy and ran into two shadow youkai. One was trying to corner her horse who kept rearing and bucking wildly. The other turned once he sensed her there. Rin was suddenly aware that she didn't have her swords on her. She threw out her left arm and felt the invisible links of demon energy yank at her and most suddenly Yijo was in her hand. With one silent leap and swing she severed the demons head. The second youkai cursed and melted away.

Rin ran for her horse, catching the reins she jumped on him and the two sped away. Ijo darted and sheathed itself with its twin on her horse. Rin was suddenly grateful she had packed virtually nothing. The ride was long but easy. The moon was high and she was well into Eastern territory when she felt them again. They were near cackling as they surrounded her. Rin had been traveling at a comfortable, fast paced gallop, not wanting to tire her horse so quickly as she had before. Now she urged him faster until the trees were nothing but a blur. Rin ducked just in time to avoid whatever had been thrown at her. They were sharp whatever they were.

She looked around wildly she couldn't count how many there were but there seemed to be more than one. Suddenly it was in front of her with its ugly featureless face, only black teeth. She was paralyzed with shock as it raised its hand and hit her so hard she was torn off her saddle to roll onto the ground. The horse whinnied and stopped, he turned around and came for Rin at a gallop. Rin was on her feet and grabbed the reins just as something grabbed her and threw her into a tree. She couldn't sense an exact location. They seemed to be everywhere at once in every shadow and every corner. Rin slid down and began running parallel to her horse straight toward the East. With a couple of well placed leaps, thanks to her intuition, she avoided certain attacks she knew were meant only to incapacitate her. Sesshoumaru's voice popped in her head. He had once told her it was worse to be taken alive than dead and to never let herself be kidnapped or taken prisoner. It was the ultimate dishonor. The memory surged her forward she leapt higher into the trees jumping from branch to branch until she was directly above her horse. The beast seemed to sense her and stayed on a straight path as much as it could.

They broke tree line cover and ran through an open field. Rin thanked Kami but the field was limited she could see another line of trees in the distance. She landed on her horse and the beast moved faster than Rin thought possible. She stayed low used her ears to find them. She knew they were still running with her but she could not see them, the night offered no light. She cursed her weak ningen eyes. Something landed in her back and she screamed, clawing at whatever it was that had stuck her. She pulled out a dart and her mind registered with alarm. They entered the forest again and the horse had to slow to avoid trees. Rin didn't know if it was safer to get up and run to work off the poison or to stay still and hope she could buy her time before she figured out what to do. But time was not on her side. They broke the cover of the forest yet again and Rin could just see the palace. Her eye sight began to dim, her lids becoming heavy. She felt her stallion pick up the pace and take off at break neck speed but she couldn't help her body as it sagged against her horse. Something was throbbing it was keeping her from slipping into unconsciousness. The pain was almost unbearable. Her arms were throbbing horribly like her blood was boiling. She thought she heard someone screaming but realized it was herself.

Another dart pierced the back of her neck and Rin felt blood flow into her mouth. She spat it out and tried to keep from drowning as her mouth constantly refilled with the tangy red substance. It was too much, the terrible throbbing in her arms and the acidic poison etching its way through her entire back. Rin tightened her grip on the reins but felt herself leaning toward one side and then the other. She pried her eyes open and saw the palace was closer but they were no where near enough for Nanjo to know she was there. Another dart pierced her skin hitting the bone of her spine. The last thing Rin remembered was hearing the sound of her spin cracking.

* * *

Nanjo paused outside the shoji doors. He knew what Sesshoumaru was doing and probably wouldn't appreciate being caught doing. He was sitting there staring at Rin. He had been the one to hear her scream and without even noticing himself, had run toward her. They both had found a horse galloping with several shadow youkai trying to corner it. Rin was slumped against the beast, who would expertly lean his body this way and that to keep her on. Sesshoumaru had simply bared his teeth and the youkai had shriveled off. Now he was here wondering what the hell had happened and why Rin was headed for this palace. Naturally Nanjo played ignorant and led the topic of conversation to Rin's health. Several darts had been found in her and the youkai physician had given the name of a poison neither Inu's had ever heard before. Nanjo waited a little longer, thought better and walked away. He would give Sesshoumaru is privacy.

Sesshoumaru stared at her. She was weathered and her breathing erratic. Her long dark hair was matted with forestry and blood was caked on her chin, neck and lips. She groaned in her sleep. She had been sleeping for almost three days now. He raised a clawed finger and used his nail to brush away a strand of hair in her mouth. Rin's eyes flew open and she jerked up. On reflex she grabbed his hand and tried to break it, but Sesshoumaru caught both her hands in his other one as she started to struggle.

"Rin." He said forcefully as she thrashed about sinking her nails into anything that found purchase. He disabled her with one hand capturing her wrists and the other firmly pressing on her thighs. His strength alone would not let her move. "Rin, remember yourself."

The voice registered in her brain and she fell still. It seemed to her, like she was opening her eyes for the first time. She met his contemptuous gaze and suddenly felt her stomach fall under her. What had she done? There were scratches on his face, neck and wrists. They were closing as she looked at them, but they were still there. A gasp tore from her as she lowered her eyes, an obvious sign of submission. "I'm sorry my Lord, I was not myself." Sesshoumaru released her as if touching her was the most disgusting thing he was forced to do. Rin was silent as she silently tried to get her bearings. Sesshoumaru walked around a large open room with high unusual ceilings with openings. "My Lord how did I get to the West? What room is this?" She asked looking around confusedly.

Sesshoumaru fixed her with a gaze that questioned her intelligence. "You are not in the West Rin. You are in the Eastern Lands. Are you to tell me you did not know this?"

Rin shook her head and gasped as the back of her neck flared with a searing pain. Suddenly her spine was on fire, her entire back seared with heat. She screamed and fell back on the cot, her body contorting on it's own. Blood began to bubble back into her mouth. She found the face of her savior above her, his eyes wide with ignorance as to what was happening to her. He called to her but she couldn't hear him. It was like she was underwater. She tried to stay conscious but it was dragging her down again. This feeling was familiar. She struggled to, keeping her gaze on the enlarged, usually slender, deep gold eyes. Other faces appeared but none were as important. Her heart was beating frantically she could feel it practically pumping out of her chest.

A revelation came upon her. She was dying. She had always wondered, with morbid curiosity, what it would be like. The raging throb that had been around her arms, were just dull thumps. There was yelling and if she focused she could see his mouth form her name. She tried to respond but all she did was cough blood on him. Someone was lifting her and turning her. Regrettably it took her line of vision from his, but soon she was replaced. And then slowly around the edges, her world became black until the last thing she saw was her name on his lips.

* * *

Sesshoumaru was at a loss. Something unwanted, but not wholly unfamiliar, was creeping in his chest. He sat near the large balcony as Nanjo paced his study. "My physician says she is dying. This poison- " He stopped and ran his hands over his braided, light brown hair. He tried again. "This poison is literally burning her blood right out of her body." Sesshoumaru had nothing to say to that. "He says she will die by midnight tonight."

The lord of the West closed his eyes. He sensed Nanjo was looking at him expectantly. "What do you want me to do about this Nanjo? She is no longer my ward, my charge, she is nothing to me. I have no right searching across Nippon for her offender." He spoke with a false calmness that fooled no one.

"Pup you heard what the physician said. She can be saved if her blood can be resupplied."

"Then resupply her Nanjo." Sesshoumaru bit out more bitter than he intended.

"I already tried." The younger youkai looked up confused. "She would not take it. Nor would she take the physicians or my envoys. I think she will only take yours."

Sesshoumaru snorted. "There is no reason I should give her my blood. So then she can become a filthy hanyou like my brother? My blood has been diluted enough from my father mating with that filthy ningen. I will not make the same mistake, even if it is on different terms."

Nanjo was silent for a long moment. "I never did give you the scrolls your father left behind."

"I take it they were his own writings?"

Nanjo nodded. "Come with me Sesshoumaru. I think you should know why your father mated with 'that filthy ningen'." The two entered Nanjo's personal chamber but the inu-youkai pulled up a heavy floorboard and step appeared. After descending for almost five minutes they came to a small almost airless cell with over a hundred different rolled scrolls and parchments. Nanjo plucked one from the top and pulled it down. Without looking he handed it to Sesshoumaru and began his climb back up. The scroll was large and heavy. For a while he simply stood there looking at the seal until his head swam from lack of oxygen and he began to ascend again. He found himself wandering back to the study balcony. He sat in the morning sun and broke the seal. The unmistakable aura that was his father flowed through him and Sesshoumaru could hear his father's voice in his head as he read every word.

* * *

Hibina felt his anger rising to a place that he knew was dangerous for himself. He had to control himself. He took deep calming breaths. "You are telling me that you may have accidentally killed her?" He asked with an icy calmness.

The lead youkai bowed. "I was not aware there was a limit to the amount we could use. You said it would minimize her struggles against us."

Hibina tried to think with his head and not his emotions. What the youkai said was logical. He hadn't specified an amount. "How much did you use?"

"We shot three darts into her, my Lord."

Hibina's mind raced. Three darts laced with Bloodbringer poison was enough to incapacitate a large bear. For a body as small as Rin's it was killing her as they spoke. She would be gone before the night ended. She would die a terrible and brutally painful death. None of this was how he planned it. Hibina let out a sigh of defeat. His sources told him that Sesshoumaru was not in the West. He could only hope that he would be there to see her die, then maybe his plan could be salvaged. He sighed again, it was such a waste though. He hadn't even had the chance to get to know her more intimately. "Very well then. Report to my palace immediately." They bowed and were gone from his sight. "Juno!" The Lord called.

The Kitsune appeared bowed behind him, as usual. "My Lord."

"Dispose of those shadow-youkai. I don't need them linking back to me. I see retribution in the future and I don't want another reason for that dog to start a war with me." The Kitsune bowed and left in a poof of fox magic.

Lord Huyoko Hibina was left with his inner thoughts as he readied himself for travel from the Middle Provinces. "Such a pretty thing, such a huge waste. If planned right this can be salvaged." He stepped onto his vernanda and gazed at the declining sun. The moon was rising fast tonight. He idly played with his hair, lighting and relighting it on fire. "Your move, Lord Dog."


	7. Her death

**[A/N] Here we go folks. Just in case you're wondering the italics is Seijimaru's (My name for Sesshy's father) scroll. Review please!! Special thanx to Ikasury, Hattaru and Ronwixziv ( I can actually spell that without looking!) Their reviews inspire me a lot. Cookies go to all my reviwers!! Thank you so much!! Enjoy!**

* * *

**Ningen Impossibilities**

**Chapter Six**

_You may think me weak. But I tell you, my son, I was disgusted when I first contracted the symptoms. At first I thought she had bewitched me with some sort of wicked ningen spell. I found myself thinking about her, her smell and the way she held her fan to hide her face. Then I wanted to be near her. I thought perhaps I was just curious and she was simply interesting. But Sesshoumaru, there was only so many delusions I could feed myself until I realized. I wanted to be around her, to see her, to hold her. I was in turmoil. Can you imagine having a son, of whom you have diligently instilled millenniums worth of youkai tradition, just to contradict it yourself? How do you think I felt, torn between everything I had ever known and then something entirely new and enticing? It was slow and torturous. I never picked her over you, Sesshoumaru. I wanted you to see things in the way I was, I wanted you to accept her and maybe we could be happy. I see that it is not to be. But I tell you, my son, you are not exempt from finding yourself brought to your knees before someone whom you will see as inferior to you. Karma will not be kind to you Sesshoumaru. You will see that you are as mortal as ningens when it comes to affairs of the heart. _

Sesshoumaru slammed the scroll down. Although he was almost finished with it's entirety, he had read enough. Did this old man think that writing this would change anything? Sesshoumaru cast his eyes toward the sky. The moon was high. He had been reading all day and yet he felt no sense of profound enlightenment. Just more of an understanding of his miserable father's demise. He supposed that was enough to say that his travel to the East was not completely useless. The Western Lord stood and made his way to the room that housed Rin. She was breathing heavily and her fist would tighten and untighten with every breath. Sesshoumaru could practically smell the burning blood within her veins. He stepped closer and her eyes flew open. He didn't think she was conscious. Her body lurched on it's own, her back arching wildly for a moment before settling again. Sesshoumaru was impressed, even through her very obvious torture, she was not uttering a sound.

"My Lord." She sounded almost normal, beside the hiccup in her pitch that couldn't be helped. "They tell me I will die soon." Her eyes held no apprehension. Sesshoumaru could feel his pride swelling. She truly was fearless.

"You will." He stated in his usual detached manner. "No one is familiar with this poison or how to counteract it. You will most likely die before any solutions are found."

Rin made some sort of head jerking movement that Sesshoumaru interpreted as a nod. "I have a request." She lifted her eyes to meet his in a way that was unusual. As if she dared him to turn down her request.

He was intrigued. "Speak."

"I wish to be buried in the West. I wish for you to recant my exile, so my body may regain my honor and I may rest in peace. I will not be able to if you do not."

Sesshoumaru paced around the room. For him to recant her exile was akin to him acquiescing to the fact that he had been wrong. Was this some sort of final act to humiliate him. "Why? What difference does it make where your corpse is buried?"

"It may not make a difference to you, but to me I have been wrongly accused, thrown from my home and humiliated. My last wish is to return to where I lived the happiest years of my life. Please my Lord, can I not have that?"

Sesshoumaru was spared having to decipher his feelings as Nanjo stepped into the room. "Good, have you decided to save her?" he asked lightly.

Rin whipped her head toward him and then closed her eyes in pain. Sesshoumaru stared at his elder wondering if he had just done that on purpose. "I will not give her my blood, Nanjo."

"Save me?" She whispered confused. Her Lord actually could save her? But he had just said that no one knew how to counteract the poison. In all her life she had never known her Lord to lie. "You can save me?" She croaked again looking to the silver haired Inu.

"That method is impossible. I will not give you my blood so that you may become the same as my brother."

Nanjo stepped forward his voicing losing all lightness and taking an almost authoritive resound. Sesshoumaru felt his hackles rise. "You are going to let this young ningen, the very same you saved from wolves, die because of this prejudice you have of hanyous? Sesshoumaru I have always known you to make perfect decisions and think logically and objectively no matter what, but right now you are letting your emotions rule you. You can save her and yet your hatred for hanyous will let her die."

"She does not belong to me anymore. I am not responsible for her life or her death. If it is my blood that is needed then find Inuyasha! We share the same blood."

"How can we find Inuyasha and bring him here when she has only three hours of life left?" Rin's back arched wildly and hit the cot again. She was slipping into unconsciousness. "Why are you being so stubborn?"

Sesshoumaru gazed at her. She was unconscious. Her breathing had deepened, no less erratic, but deeper. Why did he feel he could say this now? "I feel something that I should not. Perhaps with her gone it will fade as well." His voice was strong and decisive as always but his insides were in turmoil. And for that he hated her more.

Nanjo turned sharply from his kin. He inhaled to keep his usually even keeled temper. "She has done it. She has broken through that impenetrable fortress that you have put around yourself, that every demoness in all of Nippon has tried to break, and you will kill her for it."

"I had nothing to do with the attempt on her life. She was to remain somewhere safe but here she is. And now she is dying and you are saying that I killed her because I will not make her hanyou? I saved her once before. I ceased to be her guardian and with that she lost my protection. Why would I waste my blood on someone who is not only a weakness to me, but a potential enemy?"

"Sesshoumaru you can dress it in all the political glamour you want but the truth remains the same. She is a ningen girl on the verge of becoming a woman. She has depended on you her entire life and has never failed you. Never. Yet something goes awry and you banish her in one fell swoop. Now she is on her death bed and you will do nothing but turn your head. Do you think this will make you less accountable? You can save her, but you will not." Nanjo turned to face him, his eyes burned with something Sesshoumaru had never seen directed toward him.

Disappointment and accusation. Sesshoumaru grit his teeth and snarled silently against the feeling rising in his chest. Rin was not his responsibility! "Cease this Nanjo. What I have said is final."

"She has seen nothing but you, knows nothing but you and this is how you repay her? You pride yourself in being a loyal and good leader but you are betraying her as she lays before and dies!"

"I don't want to hear any more." Sesshoumaru bit out. He was outright growling now

"I remember when you brought her into your palace for the first time. You asked me how to care for a ningen female. You must know that since that day she has served none but you. Not even herself. You come first Sesshoumaru, and for the first time in her life she is requiring you to do something for her or else she will die and you rather she die!"

Sesshoumaru snarled and headed for the door. "You will not guilt me into changing my decision."

Nanjo shook his head. "I am not trying to guilt you pup, you are guilting yourself." Sesshoumaru was gone. He secluded himself into the chamber he stayed in whenever he stayed in the East. He didn't know how long he sat there, near the shoji door entrance, locked into his own mind, struggling with what he thought was right. Helping Rin, saving her, would be like welcoming her back into the West. He didn't need her there, he didn't want her there. He didn't want her anywhere near him. He was fighting himself and his cursed honor when she gave a horrifying scream. Sesshoumaru was in the room before he knew how.

Rin's body pushed upward, her limbs flailed in different directions. But these things were not what made Sesshoumaru's eyes go wide with shock. It was the unearthly screaming that he had never heard fall from her lips. Even when she had screamed that night in the woods with the assassins at her back, she had not screamed in this manner. Now, with her eyes wide and tears falling, she clawed at the sleeves of Sesshoumaru's white hoari, staining them red from the blood leaking out of the pores of her skin. He could see her pain, smell death as the poison burned the blood right out of her body. Her eyes were blood shot, her mouth a disconcerting shade of red. She pulled him closer, her eyes never leaving his as she jerked on the table. He was aware that before this moment, the thought of her dying had been just that. A thought. He had no problem watching any other species die, but not her. Not the one person he had sworn to protect. He was aware of her hand on his. It took amazing strength and control of her limbs to keep it from thrashing about. Her tiny ningen hand covered his large claws and she dragged his hand up to her neck. It was soaked with blood literally leaking from her pores.

She opened her mouth to speak but all that came was a straggled sound. Her hand closed, dragging his claws across her skin. Like paper, it tore, opening to reveal the black liquid that was taking over her body. The smell of her burning insides assaulted his nose. He could see the cords that kept all life alive by carrying blood, shriveled and burnt black. Her body jerked more violently and then she stopped, her mouth falling open. Her final breath was used to say her final message. Even with his acute hearing Sesshoumaru instinctively leaned closer to hear her whisper. "I'm sorry."

His world clicked together instantly. She was dying, practically dead and yet she used the last breath her body had to apologize to him. She was no traitor, no usurper. She was Rin, the ningen girl that he had taken into his home and raised to be perfect. She was his. She belonged to him and someone had taken her away. On the cot in front of her she laid dead. Her eyes open, still gazing at him, willing him to see her honesty even after death. Sesshoumaru left. He ran down the hallway toward his chamber.

"Nanjo." He called loud enough for the old Inu to hear. He grabbed Tenseiga from his chamber and raced back to Rin. Nanjo arrived after him. His face fell as soon as he entered. Sesshoumaru paid him no attention. "Call your physician." He said simply. Unsheathing the sword he waited for the demons coming to take Rin's soul. He had already used the Tenseiga on her once, so he would not be able to save her with it. He would, however, be able to buy some time. They came quickly, ready to take what was denied from them before, but he banished them. They would be back and before they came he needed her to live again. She started her soul slamming back into her body. She would have to relive the last moments of her life again, and for that Sesshoumaru felt sorry. She screamed that agonizing scream unaware that she had even died.

The demon physician was there in the same moment. "Take my blood and hurry, she has but minutes to live." The youkai moved fast he cut open her clothes to expose only the skin right above her left breast where he heart was.

"You must cut your finger deeply, you need to bleed for at least thirty seconds. Then insert your finger right into her heart. No one else has done this, we simply fed the blood to her veins, but we haven't the time. Here," He indicated a place between two ribs. "go about four inches down. Do not run it through or it will never close and she will bleed to death."

Sesshoumaru already had his finger to his mouth. Using his teeth he slid his finger from his knuckle to his nail opening a large gash that welled up blood immediately. He placed his claw directly on the spot indicated while the youkai held Rin down. Quickly he pushed down and Rin screamed. He felt the soft organ give way and his blood leaked and was pumped through her body. The results came quickly. Her thrashing subsided and her transition began. It started with her skin. Sesshoumaru could actually follow the progression of his blood as it left a trail of skin even more pale than her original complexion. Her face stayed the same but the color of her eyes intensified. Her original hazel became more of a mixture of green and brown, each color separately distinguishable. Her ears sharpened at the tips and her fingers elongated. They could hear her muscles tighten into cords of power and her skin harden with layers and layers of itself. Her hairs stayed the same dark brown. Sesshoumaru could feel her heart repairing itself trying to close itself around his finger. Slowly he pulled it out and watched her skin close before his eyes. But something was not right. Her smell was not of a hanyou. She didn't smell much different than before. Her eyes remained open but unseeing and she had yet to breathe again.

Sesshoumaru stood back and watched two magenta crests emerged from the knuckle of her two middle fingers, coil once around her wrists and start in the opposite direction up her arm. They ended there, shaped like they were cut off. Nanjo stood next to him. "Youkai." Was all he said. Sesshoumaru was genuinely confused. She did not smell youkai and yet she had his crests. She breathed in deeply and sat up so quickly it was disconcerting to see her move that fast. Rin had always moved quickly, but she was still ningen and thus could only move but so fast. But now she moved as fast as a youkai and just with the gesture of sitting up, Sesshoumaru could tell she would be a force to be reckoned with in combat. Her eyes were glazed over, suddenly something lodged in her throat and she turned to the side to spit it up. The black poison came out in a large wad. She stared at it in wonder. She could smell it and everything else in the room. It was threatening to give her a headache.

"Rin." It was his voice. She had heard it but never had she heard it so well. It was a perfect baritone pitch. Calm with no waver, strong and steady like a stream though he had only said one very short word. Her name. She turned to him and saw his face. But never had she seen his face like this. It was smooth, no it was taut of over the bones of his cheeks and jaw. His eyes held no secrets but was lined with curiosity. His lips were fuller than she remembered and his nose more delicate that she had recognized. Immediately it was easier to see his mother in him than ever before. She remembered the face of the fearless youkai female on the main corridor of the Western palace. He had her lips, her nose and her fine eyebrows. But he had his fathers eyes, cheeks and crests. Something was bothering her. Slowly she brought her legs to the ground and walked toward him. She was still the same height coming to right under his chin. She raised her hand and approached his confused face. Her fingers touched his cheek to wipe away a tiny speckle of her blood. She brought her had back down and passed out, falling limply. Sesshoumaru caught her as a reflex. "What is wrong with her?" He bit out before he could stop himself.

"She only needs to adjust to the blood in her veins, Lord Sesshoumaru." The physician said in a hurry, not wanting to incur the wrath of the lord.

"Come," Nanjo spoke. " I will give her a new room away from the smell of sickness and death.

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "No." Was all he said as he walked out of the room, down the corridor to his own personal chamber. He laid Rin on his bed. He had meant to watch her breathing to make sure nothing was wrong but his eyes were heavy and for the first time in a long time, he felt truly exhausted.

* * *

Rin was used to waking before the sun, even with the sun, but never had it shone so harshly behind her eyelids. Events from last night passed through her brain within an instant before she even opened her eyes. She decided to smell before she saw. She stayed silent and still. She could smell him, he was so near. Rin felt him next the heat from his body right next to hers. Very slowly she opened her eyes to see the ceiling, and turned her head to the right. He was there, asleep, his head right above hers, his long silver hair stewn about. She took a silent but deep breath. She couldn't describe his smell by something already existing. He smelled like power, strength, danger, loyalty. She could discern the hormones that made him smell distinctly male to her and she could pinpoint where the scent was strongest. She restrained from burying her face in his neck and breathing deep. His breathing pattern was changing, quick as lightning she closed her eyes and leveled her breathing as he opened his. He was up instantly, probably disliking the vicinity of their bodies. Rin opened her eyes as if she was waking for the first time. By the time she sat up he was on the verandah.

"Collect your things, bathe and change. We are returning to the West." He spoke simply.

Rin felt her breath hitch. She didn't realize she hadn't moved until he turned to look at her. Immediately she was up and bowed. "Yes my Lord." And then she was gone running down the corridors to find the head maid of the Eastern palace.

* * *

"My Lord," Rin spoke as they walked along out of the palace. "may I stop at Inuyasha's village?"

"That is not on the way."

Rin was silent not sure what that meant but sure it was not a 'yes'. Au-Un followed behind them as the left the front terrace. Her Lord had left Jaken at the palace. "My Lord, how will we get to the West?" She asked curious. Her days of riding Au-Un with Sesshoumaru were long gone. If ever needed she rode and he ran next to them. He pointed in a direction and unstrapped his swords from his body to strap them to Au-Un. He motioned for her to do the same. Ijo and Yijo purred under her touch. "We run." He said. He looked at her for a moment and then took off. His dragon took to the sky and Rin took after him. She had expected to be fast, but she was still nowhere near his speed. As if on purpose he stayed at least thirty feet ahead of her. She was positive he was still not going as fast as possible. They ran this way until the moon rose, but she still didn't tire. They had developed a rhythm that Rin found was easy to follow. By the same time next morning she could see the signs of ningen villages that belonged to Inuyasha. She resisted the urge to veer off and by dusk that day they entered the Western Palace.

The household was a mixture of confused, elated, scared and wary. Jaken was the first to open his large reptilian mouth. He squawked. "Rin is that you?!" She nodded tentitavely aware that her lord was watching.

"I am home." She said smiling true to her heart. She bent and gave Jaken a hug. He hugged her back at first then squabbled away chiding her for using ningen attributes when she was clearly not ningen anymore. Rin made quick work of falling back into the routine of Lady of the Western Palace. Still she was having a hard time getting the message through to the head maid a snake youkai, that had taken her place for almost half a year. At times Rin even thought the woman was a bit disrespectful. She wrote a letter to Inuyasha and Kagome telling them some of what happened and promising she would be by to visit as soon as she set up here. What she didn't expect was for them to show up two days later.

* * *

She was walking along the almost eight foot wide stone barrage, like she did most mornings when she saw them coming. Only Inuyasha, Kagome and Sango. Delighted Rin jumped not just down, but leapt all the way over to them, running the twenty feet to them and hugged both women at the same time, then she hugged Inuyasha. The stood her back and stared at her.

"Well she don't look much different." Inuyasha observed. He sniffed and made a face. "So what are you?" he asked. "You don't smell hanyou, ningen or youkai."

Rin shrugged still not bothered enough to stop smiling. "I'm so happy you're here!"

Kagome smiled a knowing smile. "And I'm and so happy you are as well. You're home again Rin."

The girl nodded, telling herself she wouldn't cry. She had cried enough as a ningen, no more. "Come I'm sure my Lord will be pleased." As she had said the brothers greeted each other with snarls and well placed remarks. They sat around the same table used when they had come before. Rin signaled for the snake youkai to come. "Please bring tea." She said simply the female nodded but then called her again. "Oh and rice balls for Inuyasha." The maid returned with the tea tray and set it down in front of Rin instead of pouring it. Another sign of disrespect. Rin threw her hand out catching the woman in the throat before she could stand back up. She pulled her closer, her eyes never leaving the tea tray. The table quieted and the surrounding servants watched avidly. It was well known that Rin was kind and forgiving, but could be just as ruthless as her Lord. "Why do you insist on disrespecting me?" She asked kindly. With her other hand she opened the tea pot, no steam came out. "The water is cold and there is not enough cups." She tightened her grip and the maid gasped. Rin sighed and lifted her eyes to find the green ones of her hostage. "You will go and make the tea I asked and if the water does not boil when you pour it in each cup, then you will boil alive before the sun goes down."

Blood had spilled all down her arm to stain her pretty yellow kimono. She sighed, stood and threw the maid where she had been sitting. Walking to the door she bowed. "Excuse me, I must go change." Sesshoumaru nodded, barely keeping a smirk from his lips. Rin let her hand hang beside her, dripping blood as she walked out of the doorway. "Clean that up." She gave the soft command and indicated the pool at her spot and the drops she was leaving to the young maid that opened the door.

She bowed low. "Yes, Lady."

"Thank you." And with that Rin disappeared down the hall to her chamber.

* * *

**[A/N] Tell me what think ya!! I simply must know how you felt through the whole 'dying' scene! Did I give you a scare?? Oh please review and tell me! **


	8. Company with him

**[A/N] Wooop! Over 6500 words my lovelies. Things are getting heated and NO I will not wait until the last chapter for the Lemon. I'd give it another 4 or 5 chapters but I'm not sure folks don't start the count down! Enjoy!**

* * *

**Ningen Impossibilities**

**Chapter Seven**

She was alive! Thank Kami-sama and the fire gods of the earth, Rin was still alive. "And just in time!" He said gleefully to Juno as the Kitsune reported the good news. "Send her an invitation to my celebration; I want to congratulate her on her new life. Let's not let Sesshoumaru get in my way, again." The hi-youkai laughed and the Kitsune disappeared with bow. Suddenly, everything was back on schedule.

* * *

Rin stood in front of Kagome modeling one of her new kimonos Lady Sashine had sent her. The Lady promised that a fabulous new one was being made and would not be revealed until Rin made good on her promise to accompany her to the Winter Solstice. Of which, Sesshoumaru could not be convinced to host. This kimono was of a new 'fleshy' fashion and she couldn't say she felt the most comfortable in it. For starters, her back was almost completely out, it hugged too tightly, there were slashes at the shoulder so the wide sleeves dropped just a little to reveal her skin and the wide material ranged for her legs was okay, but there were no slits to give her maximum movement. All in all, she rather preferred her old style. "Rin you have to move with change, my dear. This is the new fashion, and Hibina's party is bound to have almost every royal youkai in all of Nippon. You can't represent Sesshoumaru in old style, it will reflect poorly." Kagome said with a sad shake of her head. The effect it had on Rin was exactly as the older girl thought.

Not wanting to disappoint or, in any way reflect poorly on, Sesshoumaru, she immediately nodded her consent. "I suppose you're right. But I still feel uncomfortable, not being able to move in this thing."

"You want slits? Then ask you seamstress to give you some."

Rin nodded. "Okay, but what color should I wear? And if the festivity is for two days what will I wear the next day?"

"Well, never wear the same thing twice. I suggest you wear one of those new yukatas! I have one just like it; Inuyasha gave it to me as a present from the Middle Lands."

Rin sighed it was the same situation with those as well. The new obis were wider and tighter, the sleeves wider, the yukata itself was longer and the collar fit around the neck smugly. "I suppose, but what color for those either, and I want slits in them."

Kagome shrugged. "I don't care about the slits, but I think you look great in your usual color."

Rin raised an eyebrow. "Orange?"

Kagome shook her head.

"Purple?"

Another shake.

"White?"

"Bingo!"

Rin was quiet for a moment. "What's a 'bingo'?"

Kagome blinked then smiled. "Never mind that, I think you should pick that white kimono with the yellow flowers on the bottom, and the white yukata with the red petals on the sleeves. The attract a lot of attention, the colors contrast brilliantly. Lady Sashine has excellent taste." Rin 'hmmed' and proceeded to take off her clothes and change back into her previous kimono. "I will wear that new kimono I brought from some southern traders. It's completely red with black dots along the bottom and the sleeves. I think it will go nicely with my hair. And that dark brown yukata with the open red roses on the back. What do you think about that?"

"Does yours have as many openings as mine?"

"Oh yes, plenty of openings." Kagome giggled as the two exited Rin's room and walked down the hall. Kagome remembered something she had wanted to ask Rin. Everyone knew that Sesshoumaru hated Hibina and yet he was allowing Rin to go to his birthday celebration. He was even going to accompany her, since he had received an invitation as well. "Rin, how did you get Sesshoumaru to let you go to his party?"

The girl gave a sly smile. "I begged. And by beg I mean I asked once and moped around until he relented and said yes."

"That worked?" Kagome asked with wide eyes and an open mouth.

"Like a charm. In my defense, I don't do it often." Rin said with a straight face, before the two started giggling like mad all over again. The day was a short one and the Western house was busy with preparations for their Lord and Lady's departure. Jaken would stay to oversee things. Inuyasha and Kagome were in the West and would leave with Sesshoumaru and Rin, but Rin knew her Lord planned to travel faster than those two could just to spite Inuyasha. It was an almost four day journey by land at a regular pace of stopping every night. Inuyasha planned to send their things on Au-Un, like Sesshoumaru and Rin were planning, then take Kagome and travel two days straight, rest in the East and finish the last day's journey. Sesshoumaru spoke of no plan but Rin knew he was planning about the same. They would run all day, most likely camp that night on the Western border and then runt the last day into the South. Both girls were excited, the brothers, not so much. Sesshoumaru was downright cranky and Inuyasha was more abrupt that usual.

By the next day the house was alive before the sun. Kagome and Rin were dressed in traveling hakamas. Inuyasha had foregone his usual fire rat red for a dark brown and Kagome a lighter version. Both Sesshoumaru and Rin wore black. Au-Un set off as the sun rose and Rin kissed Kagome good luck and took off with her Lord. They moved at a steady pace and this time her Lord allowed her to travel beside him. As the day wore on she could feel him loosen up. He was always much more serene when he was traveling, running through his lands. They spoke little, but there was no need, a comfortable silence had settled between them. Rin let him lead with no contest although something in her, the youkai perhaps, whispered to increase her speed to pull ahead. But Rin knew better, he would leave her in the dust and then force her to travel behind him again. She much rather liked it where she was and the thought of that was enough to keep the little voice in check.

The moon was high and they were just arriving at the border. A little more towards the shore, Inuyasha would be arriving soon and would continue on in front of them. Sesshoumaru stopped about a mile before they crossed into Eastern territory. It was visible because the West ended where the woods did and an abrupt field signaled Eastern Land. "We will sleep here." Sesshoumaru said softly in his baritone voice. Rin still delighted to hear it, and as if he knew just that, he had not been speaking a lot in the last two weeks that Rin had been home.

"Are you hungry my Lord? Shall I hunt for you?" She asked, her adrenaline still pumping. She needed to do something.

He looked at her strangely for a moment. "Yes."

Rin smiled and then disappeared. She reappeared one second later. "What would you like?"

Then he did the strangest thing, the corners of his mouth turned upward, like he would smile. But he didn't, his face lit with amusement. "Whatever is easiest for you to bring me."

She could take that for what it was, a challenge. Rin stood taller her eyes telling him that she accepted. "I hope you're really hungry." Was all she said before she took high up to the trees. She already had in mind what she wanted to bring him. The biggest beast in the West. A mountain lion. Up in all the mountains, highlands and woods of the West, they grew to be huge animals that could give a youkai a hard time. At this time of night, they would be doing only two things, sleeping or hunting. Either way she would need a scent to track them, and she had no idea what they smelled like. She traveled in land a couple more miles before coming across as scent, warm like a mammal. She followed it but then she picked up on another, and then another. She back tracked to where all three crisscrossed. Just form scent alone she could tell which one was big, which was bigger and which one was biggest. She followed the biggest and came across a bob cat. She perched above it and sighed silently. She had no desire to eat bob cat. She waited thinking of what to do next when another scent was coming straight for her and the bob cat. She waited hoping it was her lion. It stopped in a tree covered with thick branches. She dropped to the ground, scared the bob cat away and walked until she could see it. There staring above her was a mountain lion. As soon as it saw her it lunged. Rin let her claws extend and held her hand up. It impaled itself and she was running back to her Lord before it was fully dead, carting it on her right hand like a package.

Sesshoumaru had made a fire so he was not able to smell what she was brining until she flitted into the clearing. He blinked a couple of times. There the girl was holding a mountain lion that looked like it could have come to her chest, hooked in her hand like a parcel. He was impressed. She sat and began expertly skinning it without a word. Sesshoumaru let her cook his food for him while he laid there gazing at the stars. It was unusual for him because the very last time they had camped together, he had been the one to catch the food, skin it and cook it. He wondered why he felt weird. Like the act was much more intimate with Rin doing it.

When the meat was done, Rin put out the fire and removed the sticks so the smoke would not damage the taste. She walked over to her Lord with every intention of handing him the sticks, but he looked so carefree and relaxed, lying with his hands behind his head and one knee raised. She plopped down beside him, facing him and pulled off a piece of meat. She held it for him to his lips for him to eat and without thinking he opened his mouth and she placed it on his tongue. Sesshoumaru was chewing when he realized what she had done. His mouth slowed and he looked at her. Rin conveniently looked to admire the sky and tore off a piece of her own. Incredulously, the Lord of the West felt his face heat up. He stamped it back down immediately hoping Rin had not noticed.

When he had swallowed his first piece Rin held out another. This time their eyes met and Rin tried to portray the most innocent look but she suspected it failed. Her heart was beating too fast, and if she could hear it then he could hear it. Her eyes, although she tried, kept straying to his lips and then his neck. Sesshoumaru watched her struggle and he couldn't help himself, the male in him smirked inwardly. He opened his mouth and let her feed him. But this time when she retracted her fingers, he let his lips brush against her fingers. It was Rin's turn to blush as the Inu admired the sky. Other than the harmless feeding, the night passed eventlessly. Rin complained that she couldn't sleep and Sesshoumaru instructed her to at least rest.

Dawn was approaching when Sesshoumaru woke. He sat up and immediately Rin woke as well. They had both fallen asleep. "Come, we will not stop until we reach the Southern palace." As Sesshoumaru stood Rin noticed something. Without asking she reached out and extracted several leaves that had been caught in Sesshoumaru's hair. The youkai waited until she was finished offering no contest and the pair took off.

When they arrived the found Au-Un roaming the front terrace feely. Sesshoumaru checked his dragon surreptitiously from afar. One missing item would be stealing from the West, all he needed to start a war. They were greeted by the head maid and shown to their rooms. Hibina was scheduled to greet all his guest later that evening. Sesshoumaru did not approve of the rooms they were given, it was clear to him that Rin would be given a different chamber but she was to be placed in a completely different wing. Before the Lord could protest Rin refused to be moved so far away and thus her room was changed to be a couple doors down from his. Rin decided to wait until Kagome arrived to bathe and Sesshoumaru shut himself up in his room to check for poison and other possibilities of sabotage or assassination. Rin knocked on her door and suggested the two switch, Sesshoumaru refused at first but Rin insisted and the dog was finding it harder and harder to tell her 'no'. Their belongings were brought and the two switched afterwards.

Kagome and Inuyasha arrived a few hours later when the sun was just setting. The girls bathed and Inuyasha checked their room for the same plans of sabotage or assassination. When the guests were assembled, everyone in their finest fashions, the moon was just raising high in the sky and the celebration in Hibina's honor would last until the wee morning. Kagome and Rin had already joined the party, greeting youkai they knew and making introductions to the youkai they didn't. Rin was something of a body guard for Kagome, the only ningen at the affair, and Kagome helped to bumper the insults thrown their way concerning Rin's now-over exile. Kagome's confidence trickled into Rin more and more. Murmurs that Sesshoumaru was attending were floating around. Some denied it saying his scent was only brought by Rin, while others proclaim they walked by his room and smelled the Lord himself there. Naturally when Sesshoumaru sauntered into the hall the gossip increased tenfold. He wore his kimono of pristine white hakama, hoari, gathered pants and yellow patterned obi that draped around his hips. Inuyasha reached the women first, he had worn his fire rat kimono and his long mane was bound near the end, making his ears more pronounced.

"Kagome." He breathed sweeping an arm around her and kissing her one full time. The display of love made Rin's heart hurt. She smiled and looked toward her Lord. He walked with an intent slowness and did not ask for anyone to move out his way, they simply parted. His face was a mask of this-is-bored-why-am-I-here, his eye lids were lowered and his expression blank. He made his way toward Rin.

"Do you plan to stay for this entire event?" He asked as if he hoped she wasn't.

"Yes my Lord." She smiled resisting the urge to tell him to 'be good'. Sesshoumaru said nothing and sat on the mat near his brother and his mate. They were gazing at each other, saying nothing at all.

The older Inu rolled his eyes slowly and purposefully looked the other way. "You could have stayed in your room for that." He said with the right amount of detachment.

Kagome giggled and popped up. She was standing with Rin in tow before anyone knew what happened. "Come on, let's get the boys some food." Sesshoumaru's brow rose at being called a 'boy' but the two were already gone.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, you grace me!" A voice said as Hibina came and sat in front of him.

"Yes I do." He said simply. "I came only to protect Rin and make sure your guests," he glanced around. "Do not harm her."

"She is always safe here in the south." Sesshoumaru said nothing. Hibina turned to greet Inuyasha. The hanyou nodded out of respect and continued to watch his brother. One thing he had learned to spot over the years was when Sesshoumaru was restraining himself. The joints in the youkai's hands were locked in a peculiar position, probably to keep him from spilling Hibina's blood and inciting a war. It didn't seem to be getting any better with Hibina attempting small talk. Inuyasha stood with a small sigh.

"Sesshoumaru your dragon's growling, hurry." Inuyasha said as he contradicted himself by walking leisurely through the open shoji doors to the terrace. Sesshoumaru stood and followed his brother without a word. As Hibina watched them walk away he reminded himself why taking this opportunity to ambush them, was not a good idea. He was forgetting reasons. He had sent an invitation to Sesshoumaru out of politics, yes, but he never imagined he would actually attend. With a temper tampering sigh he stood and made his way to mingle with his guests again.

Rin found her way to the brothers with her nose. There were lots of scents, but Sesshoumaru's was imprinted on her brain. The girls returned with a tray with drinks and sushi. Inuyasha snatched one and threw it in the air, he made to catch it with his mouth, then suddenly stopped and let it fall where it may. "That stuff smells disgusting." He said not bothering to pick up where the fish and rice ball had fallen.

"It's Southern Snout fish, Inuyasha." Rin replied with a chuckle. "Just try it." She gave one to Kagome who fed it to her 'dog-boy'. Inuyasha wrinkled his nose but ate it anyway. "Would you like one my Lord?" Rin asked dutifully. He slid his gaze to her and Rin told herself that blushing was a ningen trait and that she absolutely would not do it. Her body disobeyed anyway.

"Yes." He said finally, but made no move to take one from the tray. She set it down and selected one. Holding it between two fingers she held it to her Lord's lips and he bit half of it. He chewed slowly, taking in the evening, the breeze, the natural heat of the country and the flavor of the sushi. Truthfully, one of his favorite fish was the Southern Snout but he doubted anyone knew this. Out of the many selections of fish, Rin had chosen that one. "Why did you pick the Snout sushi?" He asked randomly finally swallowing.

Rin held up the other half. "It is your favorite, right?" She lowered her hand a bit; a worried expression donned her face. At least she had thought it was his favorite. He did not respond, simply parted his lips and Rin inserted the last piece. Distractingly, her fingers lingered a second too long and her eyes had drifted to his mouth. When she looked up his amber gaze was trained on hers and an arrogant mirth had filled it. She retrieved the tray, her cheeks stained red, grabbed Kagome and mumbled something about 'needing more sushi' before the two disappeared.

Rin and Kagome went back to the table ladled with all sorts of Southern delicacies. Music began to play and a familiar aura approached. Rin fit the aura with the scent that was Hibina. "Good evening, Ladies." He said an easy smile lighting his pale face. His bright black hair was pulled in its usual high ponytail and it swished across his back with almost every movement. His bright red eyes were seemed fiercely alluring with their natural smolder.

Kagome smiled invitingly. "Happy Birthday Lord Hibina." She said comfortably. Rin was sometimes amazed at her confidence. Although, she had to say, no one would be stupid enough to offend Inuyasha's mate while Inuyasha was there. The hanyou had a reputation for have a large temper with a short fuse. Rin echoed the greeting, and the pair was graced with a warm chuckle.

"Would you believe you are first to tell me? I do believe everyone has forgotten why this celebration is being thrown. But anyway, come it would be my honor to dance with you two." He caught both their hands and led them to the middle of the large room. A tingle went up Rin's spine. Was dancing with Hibina what Sesshoumaru considered disrespectful? She caught Kagome's eye with a worried look and Kagome gave a subtle look. She gave a high pitched giggle that Rin could tell was not normal. Hibina moved them in a circle to the sound of the music. Other youkai began to clap and join in with their own parties of three or more moving in the same direction. The tempo would change randomly and Hibina would switch directions making either Rin or Kagome stumble and send into a giggling fit. Rin had to admit it was fun and she could feel the watchful eye of Inuyasha near. They began to twirl faster and faster and Rin was surprised that Kagome kept up so well, then the music stopped suddenly and so did Hibina. Rin fell into him and Kagome on her. The same happened all across the floor as everyone dancing either stumbled onto someone else or skillfully managed to dodge. The pair laughed and Kagome picked herself and Rin up before plopping down again. Rin was glad she had worn her hair up or it would be caught in between someone.

"That was fun." Kagome sighed, a lovely color washed her face from the effort. Rin giggled and nodded. "Come," Kagome said grabbing Rin's hand. "Let's get back to our charges before they whine from being left alone too long." She said humorously. "Thank you Lord Hibina, that was the first time I've ever done that." They were already on their feet.

"No problem." He said, chuckling while fixing his pristine black kimono. "Please, you may call me Hibina, Lady Kagome."

Kagome smiled and skillfully maneuvered them back to the terrace before she was baited to make the same call. Sometimes Rin was especially glad for the older girl's company. They arrived back empty handed. Kagome and Inuyasha, less than thirty feet away, transported themselves to their own little universe once again. Seeing their relationship was bitter sweet. Rin stood next to her Lord. She stared up at him, a question eating at her. Sesshoumaru sensed her anxiety. "Speak." He said softly, his eyes never leaving the moon. One of the few things he could stare at for endless hours.

"That night, my Lord, what was it I did that angered you so? What was it I did that disrespected you?" She asked almost quietly.

"You danced with him." He stated and began to walk in the opposite direction of the soiree, into the shoulder high field of grass. Rin stayed close to him, nothing but a few pieces of grass separating them. She wanted to ask 'why' but she knew questioning him would not get an answer, so she waited. "It was not the fact that you danced with him, it was the dance itself and how you danced it." He stated after a few moments.

"I was not aware my Lord, please believe me."

He did not speak for a moment. "Were you two lovers?"

Rin had never thought of her Lord saying or asking something that was not important, but this was the first time she thought he had asked a stupid question. "No my Lord." She said immediately. 'You are the-" She stopped suddenly, her knee's locking. She had almost made the same fatal mistake as before.

Sesshoumaru turned back to her. A couple of steps had submerged him in the grass but his golden eyes pierced through her. "I am…?"

"You are the Lord of the West, of course I would come to you first." She covered, cursing herself for being so careless. Without thinking she continued on, walking passing him in an instant.

Sesshoumaru's arm reached out and snatched her by the neck, swiveling her easily until she faced him. "Do not attempt to lie to me again. Do you understand?"

Rin was still with shock all of two seconds. "Yes my Lord." She breathed. When he let go of her she bowed low and he began walking again. When she was sure he was appeased she straightened and fell in step quietly. Thankfully, he did not bring up the subject again. They were still walking when Kagome's voice pierced the silence.

"Rin! Lady Sashine and Lord Ishan have been looking for you!" She called. Rin turned back but Sesshoumaru swept her up in one arm and with one bound he landed directly in front of a slightly stunned Lady Sashine and her son.

"Lord Sesshoumaru," She greeted, bowing politely. He nodded back, Ishan he completely ignored. "Rin!" She exclaimed seeing her in her new kimono. She turned the girl this way and that.

"Hello Lady Sashine, Lord Ishan." She greeted amicably, noting that her Lord had yet to release her and had simply let Lady Sashine rotate her in his arm. When she glanced up she could see that his eyes were not on her. They were trained on Ishan, who was starring at Rin. Or better yet, below Rin's neck. A sudden burst of heat enflamed her cheeks and Lady Sashine took notice.

"Rin are you ill? You do not smell youkai or ningen, but I suppose you could still be ill." She held a hand to Rin's forehead. Rin laughed it off still waiting to be released. Kagome swooped in like a savior, Inuyasha in tow and they exchanged pleasantries yet again. Inuyasha ignored Lord Ishan as well, although Rin didn't think it was on purpose. The younger youkai was being unusually quiet.

"Sesshoumaru, I'm bored." The hanyou said in such a monotone he mimicked his older brother.

"What do you wish for me to do about it hanyou?" Inuyasha slid his eyes toward his brother and flexed his claws. It seemed simultaneous when they both leapt off running parallel to each other, Sesshoumaru's whip already released.

"Don't knock anything down!" Kagome called as they headed into trees. Lord Hibina and Lord Sashine seemed to appear as soon as they left.

"Come! Let us all dance." Hibina pulled Lady and Lord Sashine inside the hall. Rin noticed Ishan was still and almost sullen. She grabbed his hand and pulled him with her offering a smile. He seemed to snap out of whatever reverie he was in and they all danced together falling atop each other and laughing until the sun was rising in the sky. As Rin walked back to her chamber she wondered where her Lord was. She hadn't seen him since he left with Inuyasha. She opened the door and passed through the ante chamber as soon as she opened the inner shoji door Sesshoumaru sat up in his bed. He was bare except for kimono pants, the skin of his thighs clearly visible. Rin's head tilted to the side. She was confused. Why would Sesshoumaru be in her room.

Her eyes popped open with surprise. She had forgotten they exchanged rooms. With a gasp she bowed. "My apologies my Lord, I forgot."

"Are you sure?" He asked in a voice that made Rin positive that it was best not to look at him.

She nodded vigorously and disappeared nearly running to her room.

* * *

"Well, was it an accident?" Kagome asked wriggling her brows.

Rin splashed water on the ningen. "Yes of course it was! I would never disrespect my Lord in such a forward manner." Her cheeks pinked profusely.

Kagome nodded in understanding. "And of course if it's an accident than it can't be called blatant disrespect, it's just being clumsy. Very clever Rin." Kagome gave a shriek as the other splashed water on her again.

Rin decided to change topics. "Lady Sashine says Princess Kia will be here by moon rise." Rin smiled excitingly. "I miss her already."

Kagome sighed. "You two get into more trouble than when you are with me." It was midmorning and the sun was high in the sky. Rin only needed a few hours of rest before she was up again, but then she had always been that way. Even though it was to be a hot and muggy day, the two had taken a nice hot bath first thing. They dressed and called the attendants to do their hair. Kagome had her black hair braided in one long braid down her back. Rin had her hair pinned up with two long sharp ornaments. True to Kagome's foresight, today was a day for yukatas, in the hot dry heat. Rin had hers modified, a high collar, slits that came up to her wide obi, or rather her lower hip, and her sleeves has been widened to allow a sort of breeze to flow through the material. Kagome's yukata draped low around her shoulders and slits up to her high thighs. The older woman sighed as they toured around castle. In true Southern Land fashion, it had a lot of open roves, balconies, and sublevels. There were tall wheat fields that surrounded the castle. A short distance toward the East, there were woods and on the other side a low cliff excellent for diving into the ocean. The land here was lower than the Middle lands making the mid day hot, muggy, and almost miserable if you were not accustomed to it. Which was how Rin was feeling at present.

She couldn't blame her Lord, whom did not leave his chamber until the sun set, because the heat was damn near unbearable for her. Twilight was just emerging when guests started to gather into a different hall than the one used last night. This one had an open roof, was shaped like an octagon, and all the walls slid so that it became open frames to let in the night breeze. Only one side of the room remained walled, which was the side connected to the castle. Rin looked around in wonder, she had never seen a room remove its walls before. "I take it you like this room?" Hibina asked, coming behind her. He offered a cold cup of what smelled like flavored water. She drank it happily.

"It's wonderful! I've never seen a room shed its walls."

Hibina chuckled at her wording. "It rarely gets cold here and war in the South is even rarer, so this room is no great weakness. I had it designed and it was added as soon as I became ruler here."

"You designed this?" Rin asked astonished. She had never pictured Hibina as the architectural type. Somehow he seemed like an easy going flirt.

"I did." He gazed at her for a moment, looking content to simply look at her.

"Wow, I'm really impressed." Rin suddenly seemed to lose her words.

"Would you like to walk with me? If we go around this way, you can see the shore." Alarm bells rang off in Rin's head. Something told her she shouldn't take a personal walk with Hibina. He didn't scare her, but it didn't seem right. Rin was at a loss of what to do. Youkai could smell lies, most of them anyway, and Rin had never really had a reason to lie. Sesshoumaru's will was what she did and everyone else just had to accept that. But now, she had no clear instructions from him and Kagome was nowhere to be seen.

She looked down. "I'm not sure Lord Sesshoumaru would like that." She smiled, "But perhaps later this evening I will ask him." She wondered why she felt the need to justify her actions. She was raise to be strong, but for some reason, she didn't want to hurt Hibina's feelings. As the sun official set, it seemed everyone came out of hiding. The hall filled again and the music started as cold food was being offered by servants. A familiar aura was speeding for her and Rin just turned around to catch Kia as she flew into her arms.

"You're not human anymore!" Kia cried out in astonishment and something like delight. She circled Rin trying to find some differences in the girl prattling on, sometimes slipping into her native language, which to Rin, sounded a lot like drowning. After a moment she stepped back confused. "What are you Rin?" She simply flat out asked.

"You may be the fifth person to ask me." Rin said a lighthearted smirk on her face. "Or maybe the fiftieth."

"I take it you don't know then?"

"No, not at all." The two linked arms and strolled around the field surrounding the open room. "And neither does anyone else."

"Well I guess you're just dying to tell me how you got this way." Kia said sarcastically. The two chatted on and on until clapping started coming from the room. They both jumped up, eager to see what was happening. Three youkai were fire breathing for the guests to the sound of the music. Kia rolled her eyes and the two began to dance on their own. When the fire breathers' performance was done the moon was high and Rin realized she hadn't seen Sesshoumaru yet. She wondered if he planned to stay there until it was time for them to leave. Just as she was considering going up to his room he came down. To say he looked hot would be an inaccurate use of words. He looked sweltering. He had on an open legged kimono with no under hoari and his hakama barely tied. His chest showed and glistened, hair was pulled up high and still slightly damp from water, and his eyes were at half mast.

He walked to Rin, ignoring the eyes and Kia for the moment and said none too quietly. "This country is intolerable."

Rin smiled and tried not to laugh. Sesshoumaru was used to high land harsh winters. In the heat he turned into a puddle of melting ice. But she knew the only thing melting off him was his patience. They would have to leave soon. "Would you rather leave early tonight or tomorrow morning."

"We will both combust if we try to run in the middle of the day. We will leave three hours before the sun rises. That is all I need to get to higher land. Gather your things before then, I do not wish to wait." Sesshoumaru went and sat near an opening. Soon after Inuyasha sauntered in, a little more accustomed to heat than Sesshoumaru, but even he looked testy. He had bound his hair at the nape of his neck and it rested on his shoulder down his chest. He had forsaken his fire rat kimono for a simple white one with no under hoari. Kagome trailed by his side, she had changed from her dark brown yukata to a white one near the same pattern Rin had.

Kagome smiled and made her way toward them. "Princess Kia, nice to see you again." Inuyasha skipped the pleasantries and went to lie near his brother. Rin watched them curiously. One would not have reason to suspect that they try to kill each other at least twice a year. She suspected it had something to do with being on foreign soil. Kia, Kagome and Rin talked pleasantly near the brothers that seemed to go between nodding off and insulting each other quietly. It was too hot to dance and too hot to spar even vigorous verbal sparring was exhausting. A servant came by with chilled vegetables, sweets, and more sushi.

"Are you hungry, my Lord?" She asked holding a plate full of sushi and sweets. She knew he had a sweet tooth that he tried to hide but she had seen him eye caramels and chocolate and refuse them out of sheer discipline, vanity and will.

"I am." He replied simply, propping himself up on an elbow. The sleeve of his hakama fell down to his elbow and his hakama lolled down to reveal one dusty rose nipple and the beginnings of his stomach muscles. She forced her eyes to the tray and pretended to be selecting while she took a calming breath. She picked one up randomly and was confused when he didn't accept it. He simply looked at her. She looked down to see it wasn't Southern Snout. She looked back at the tray, none of them were. "I'll be right back my Lord." And she left before she could see the devious smirk lighting his face.

Rin was picking at sushi and plopping them on a plate when a youkai approached her. "Are you Lady Rin of the West?" He asked, his accent told Rin he was from the Isles.

"I am," She said not sure how this was going. He was compelling from the first glance and handsome in a mysterious way. His hair was most curious, dark green like leaves at night and long to his lower back. He had almost random colored strands all throughout it. Rin could pick every color, red, purple, lighter green, blue, yellow, white, and orange. He wore it simple, half tied back and the rest hanging freely. His eyes were a light green with yellow slited irises like the snake he was. His crests marked him as one of the dying breed of poisonous snake-youkai.

"My name is Jube Deido, I rule the Isle province Ukaraha, the one closest to the Southern Lands. I have wished to meet you since I heard about a human serving the great Inu of the West." He looked at her as if puzzled. "It seems I am unable to tell what you are exactly. Are you not ningen?" He asked.

Rin for some reason developed an instant liking for him. "I was, right now, no one is certain what I am." She held up her tray. "I must get back to my Lord."

Jube nodded. "I will be attending the Winter Solstice, I hope to see you there. I would like to talk to you." He bowed and the two parted. Rin back with Sesshoumaru's sushi fed the impatient Inu and soon it was time to go.

It was time to go and Sesshoumaru was waiting with Au-Un. After notifying Hibina, Rin was saying goodbyes to Kia, Kagome and Inuyasha. The underwater princess promised to attend the Winter Solstice and Rin parted. Kagome and Inuyasha were taking their time traveling back to the West. They decided they would go through the towns, both ningen and youkai. Rin was certain Kagome had suggested this so she could by more Southern styled yukatas. As she walked back to her Lord she was surprised to see him mounted on the large dragon. He simply held out his hand and Rin grasped it without hesitation. Au-Un took off before she was even fully seated. She flung her arms around Sesshoumaru's waist before righting herself and letting go. Sesshoumaru took Au-Un higher and higher into the sky until Rin was sure she would touch the moon in any second.

* * *

**[A/N] Woop Woop! Review Lovlies!**

**P.S I suppose I will answer a common question among the reviews. Rin's attitude in the last chapter toward the 'snake youkai maid' was a result of SEVERAL disrespectful occurrences. You have to remember around this time anything unpleasant was usually dealt with the penalty of death. Sesshoumaru would have decapitated her if she had served him cold tea or did ANYTHING he didn't like the FIRST time. So I think Rin was quite lenient because she is a kind character in this fiction and gave that maid a couple different chances.. I hope that clears some things up!**

**Thankx!**


	9. A plan in play

**[A/N] I have begun to set a minimum of 5000 word per chappi. Bet you can't guess how many this one is! Enjoy!**

* * *

**Ningen Impossibilities**

**Chapter Eight**

Those eyes. They were golden, piercing things, looking through her, seeing her desire. Rin lay sprawled on her bed and those eyes were directly above her. She tried to speak but no sound would obey her. His scent was intoxicating and she could smell his want, which only served to feed her own. One finger traced a path from her brow, down her cheek, her neck, her collar bone, the rise of her breast, the peak of her nipple to a sensitive spot on her side. Her muscles clinched under the slight pressure of his finger. So many unknown things were happening, but instinct told her what was important. He lowered his face slowly, his nose skimming across the skin of her neck. She raised her hand to stroke his silver head but his hand shot out and grabbed her wrist. He slammed her wrist back on the bed, never stopping his ministrations on her neck. Her breathing began to labor a bit more, her chest rising and falling under his weight. His hot wet tongue snaked out to lick her. Automatically Rin let her head fall on the side, allowing him better access. His body was completely covering hers now. She could feel the strength of his muscles, could smell the scent of his masculinity, could hear his breathing as his lips and tongue paid attention to her neck and shoulders.

Rin whimpered and his hand flexed around her wrist. His hakama was open and she wanted desperately to feel his skin, to taste it, but she was confined to do as he wished. Slowly and deliberately he widened Rin's legs with his own and slid between them. Rin gasped when she felt the stiffness of him settling at the core of her, their clothes doing little as a buffer. He growled wantonly into her neck sending shivers up and down her spine. She arched into his hard chest, feeling the heat he exuded soak into her. She clenched her thighs around him, rolling her hips. Sensations she had never known erupted into her brain and she moaned. He raised just enough to see her face, his curtain of silver hiding her from the outside world. A wicked smirk lit his face and he grazed his lips above hers as he ground his hips into hers. Rin strained against him, moaning. He took the opportunity to delve his tongue deeper into her mouth tasting all she had to offer. Rin found her other hand and grasped desperately at his back, the material of his hoari gathering and tearing in her claws. She pushed him harder into her being while trying to pull the clothing off his back.

She didn't know what she wanted. But it was him, it was whatever he could offer. Suddenly his weight was off her and he was kneeling between her, his hands discarding the torn bits of his hoari and revealing his flawless chest. Without thinking, Rin sat up and grasped him around the waist. She kissed him, licked him and sucked on whatever laid open to her. He growled and moaned so deep in his chest that Rin felt it reverberate through her. His hand snaked into her long, dark mane and pulled finally relenting her from his chest. He pushed her back down and ripped off the top of her kimono in one sudden swoop. The skin of her naked chest rose and her nipples perked in the cold, but his large, hot hands covered her breasts. Rin was suddenly out of breath, her body rose and fell on its own, the only feeling she was conscious of was what he was doing to her. His tongue, his hot, wet tongue, was making its way down the valley of her chest until it reached the tiny opening on her belly. His hands moved massaging her mounds of flesh, driving her slowly mad with a pressure she was so ignorant as to how to handle. He was suddenly kissing her so fully she was left to gasp breath at random intervals. His powerful arms wrapped around her lifting her easily from the bed. Her head lolled back and he attacked her neck, shoulder, collar bone, until his wet trail reached her breasts. She gasped moaning loudly, "Sessh-"

Rin bolted up in her bed. She was soaked with sweat and her breathing was erratic. One sniff and she could smell her own desire permeating her entire room. Quickly she stood and opened her window to let in some cold refreshing mid winter air. The scent dissipated quickly and she leaned against the wall. This was the fourth night in a row that she had dreamed a similar dream. Except before, things had never gotten so far, usually ending with him kissing her. She took a deep breath and looked outside. Dawn was approaching and she desperately needed a bath.

* * *

Ishan smiled inwardly, feeling the mid-winter chill seep out of him in the hot Southern Land. His mother had delayed him, insisting that it wouldn't be so cold this year, but the first snow storm was brutal and Ishan left that day. After being virtually ignored by Rin the last time he saw her, he was feeling testy and more than a little put out. His meeting with his lover had helped to sate him. Ishan dressed slowly, it was nearly mid morning and in the Southern Lands it was beautiful weather during winter. He met Hibina in the courtyard garden and the two ate like friends.

"Ishan, I trust your travel was pleasant, seeing as how you left in a blizzard." Hibina said playfully.

Ishan chuckled around the delightfully cooked fish in his mouth. "It was okay I suppose. I am looking forward to you courtesans to warm me."

Hibina smiled. Suddenly his face took a more serious expression. "You know I consider us friends. As close as brothers."He said as if saddened by the fact.

Ishan nodded. "Yes, as do I. Why, what is the matter Huyoko?"

Hibina looked at him for a long moment. "Friends do favors for each other." He stated, ignoring the question.

Ishan was confused. Why was Hibina acting so strangely? "What is the matter?" He asked again.

Hibina wasted no more time with games. He gave a secretive smile and whispered. "You're playing a nasty little game with her."

Ishan stared at him, perplexed until the full intention of his words hit him. His face exploded into many different shades of red. "How did you find out?" He asked quietly.

Hibina chuckled and placed a friendly arm around his younger friends shoulder. "Ishan, there is little I don't know."

Ishan was quiet for a moment. "What will you do?" He asked, not liking the look on Hibina's face. If he were anyone else, Ishan would have killed him, but Hibina was too powerful.

"Nothing." He said, releasing the wind-youkai and plopping more food into his mouth. "I will, however ask you for a favor."

Ishan nodded, he was at the mercy of Hibina. One word of his affair with her and chaos would ensue. "Anything, of course."

Hibina smiled evily. "You don't know how happy I am you said that." Ishan nodded hesitantly. Hibina stroked his chin as if thinking. "You know that your lover has a close relationship with Rin, don't you?" Again Ishan nodded, not knowing where this was going. "And I have seen the way you look at her, Rin I'm referring to. You covet her, do you not?"

The color washed back into his cheeks and he looked down, chagrined at the fact that Hibina had found out about that too. "I do." He said, not bothering to lie about it.

Hibina smiled. "Do not be ashamed Ishan, she is a peculiar thing. Almost everyone I know covets her in one way or another. Even that dog, that's why she is holed up in that stone fortress in the West. But do not bother with that. My request is simple, tell your mistress that Rin attempts to seduce you."

Ishan's head jerked up. "What? How would that help anything? And Kia would never believe it, she has known Rin far longer than any of us." Ishan prattled on.

Hibina waved his hand. "A woman new to the pleasures of intimacy, is easy to manipulate. Simply tell her that Rin knows your secret and tries to seduce you behind her Lord's back. And be convincing. You are to see her again soon, am I right?" Ishan opened his mouth to deny, but closed it and thought wiser. He nodded. "Good, and in return for that, I will not tell a soul of your clandestine little meetings with the princess of the Underwater Province. Fair, don't you think?" He raised a whole fish and gestured with it. Ishan thought about it, he supposed it was and nodded. Hibina chuckled and raised a brow, "Now about those courtesans."

* * *

The Solstice festival was only a week away and Rin was full of excitement. She had traveled to the Middle Provinces almost three days after Ishan had left. She had to say, she was silently very grateful he had already left. Lady Sashine loved the winter, as did her husband. She was outside the palace to greet Rin, her lovely brown skin contrasting with her white kimono and white hair against the blanket of snow covering everything the eye could see. Rin loved the winter as well and enjoyed the feeling of the cold soft flakes hitting her skin. She smiled happily as she was embraced by the Lady of the Middle Lands. "Come, come I'm not sure if you can still get sick from the cold, but let's not chance it." She said as Rin approached her. Lady Sashine wasted no time prattling about the new kimono she had fashioned for Rin.

The two enjoyed a hot bath and then Rin was brought in for a fitting. The first thing she thought was that something had gotten a hold of her kimono, because the ends were ripped to shreds. But the women weaved it around her hips and Rin could see that they were made to look like shreds and the more they were wound the more her legs were covered. She was delighted but perplexed, the material only reached below her navel. The top was nothing but two wide sleeves and extra material to cover her breasts. Lady Sashine laughed heartily as Rin insisted there had to be another piece missing because the tops of her chest were bare. An extremely long gossamer veil completed the ensemble. Rin was eternally grateful because it obscured the sight of her chest a little and she needed all the help she could get. The kimono itself was the blue of deep underwater, with white petals that collected around the sleeves.

"What do you think, my dear?" Lady Sashine asked when Rin was fully gowned.

She twirled around watching the colors swirl about and the flesh of her legs peek through. Instantly she wanted her Lord to see her, to see his reaction when he saw her. She blushed lightly. "I do love it Lady Sashine.

"Rin." The female said cupping the younger's cheeks. "We know each other well enough, you may call me Yosai. Besides, I already call you Rin. Now hurry and undress, we leave tonight and we're traveling heavy."

* * *

Nanjo laughed as Sesshoumaru paced the large study and studiously tried to ignore him. He was anxious, that much he had just stopped trying to deny or hide. But 'why' was the operative word. He had exiled her, cast her away from him and had severed all contact with her for almost three seasons and yet, he was anxious because he had not heard from her in over a week. He tried to reason that it was because of the assassination attempt but his subconscious was pulling at him. Chopped bits and pieces of his father's scroll was running through his head and his resentment was building again. It still didn't help that he wanted to see her, plain and simple. Sesshoumaru tried to distract himself by picturing ways to kill Nanjo.

"Pup, trying to run from it, will only make the process more difficult." Nanjo said after calming down from his laughter.

"What pro-" He cut himself off, he didn't want to hear anything else the older Inu had to say.

Nanjo stood and walked to the door. He was closing it when he whispered loud enough for the Western Lord to hear. "You're falling in love." Nanjo moved just in time to avoid the sharp end of Tensaiga protruding out of the shoji door. "Ironic." He muttered, delighted that Sesshoumaru had just tried to kill him with a sword meant to heal ningens, as he walked away at a brisk pace. He went down to the hall and made sure that everything was set up and all guest chambers were prepared. The Eastern Palace was well known for not being a place of war. It could barely hold the battalions of Eastern soldiers. If, by some chance, Nanjo was ever in danger of an invasion he would simply tell Sesshoumaru. Problem solved. There were advantages to putting up with that stubborn, willful pup. The palace could hold as many guests as soliders and the halls were meant to entertain, not defend. By the time mid-morning was arriving, so were the guests. As penance Nanjo forced, he liked to think it was 'force', Sesshoumaru to be present and help greet the guests. It seemed the Western Lord had only heard the 'being present' part because he greeted very little and said nothing.

Rin arrived with Lady Sashine by time the moon was high. She rushed over to him, an apology already on her lips.

"You are late."

She bowed low. "Yes my Lord, I apologize. Lady Sashine decided to shop in one of the coastal Western ningen villages. It took longer than I thought." She rose and Sesshoumaru saw she still had her traveling kimono on. "Please excuse me my Lord, I must go change and find Yosai." She pinked and then corrected herself. "I meant Lady Sashine." With that she flitted off.

* * *

Two major things had happened. Rin had found Kagome and now butterflies were swirling in her stomach. All of a sudden she didn't want anyone to see her in that new revealing kimono. Yosai and Kagome waited around the large folded screen leaving Rin to gaze at herself in the tall mirror and rethink her actions. She couldn't walk around like this. Half of her chest was exposed and with every step so were her legs to the very tops of her thighs. She felt like a courtesan or a common ningen whore. What if Sesshoumaru found her attire disgusting and completely un-lady like? She had brought extra kimonos but the damage would be done. She put the veil on and a sigh of relief flew through her. The dark gossamer helped to camouflage a lot but the white of her skin was still easy to see. She tried to pull the material up to cover more of her chest, but it wouldn't budge. Thanks to Yosai's perfect measures, everything was tailored to fit exactly as it was supposed to.

"Come on Rin, it can't take that long to change." Kagome called out.

"You already saw yourself before, just put it on and come out so we can pin your hair." Yosai echoed.

Rin took a deep breath and stepped out from behind the screen. Kagome raised a brow. "Not a little girl anymore Rin?" She asked playfully, not meaning to incite the full mental break down as Rin groaned and began undressing right there.

Yosai hopped up. "Wait wait Rin! You look wonderful! What's the matter? I thought you loved it?"

Kagome chimed in. "Rin I was only joking, why are you so upset?"

Rin plopped down on the settee and sighed. "Do you think I look like a courtesan?" Both females shook their heads. "A whore?" Again shakes. "But look," Rin pointed to a point to a spot at the very top of her breast about four inches from her collar bone. "You can see too much. I look like I am trying to sell my body. Let me put on my other kimono." She just about begged.

"Rin-" Kagome began but Yosai held up her hand.

"Do you truly feel uncomfortable?" the younger one nodded. "Very well then." She went across the room to a trunk of hers and opened it pulling out material with the same pattern. She held up a top but this one was high collared with an open back that resembled the kimono she wore to Hibina's party.

Rin chuckled. "You made a spare?"

Yosai gave a soft chuckle of her own and Kagome shook her head. " I wasn't sure if you would like that design so I had an alternate made. Now hurry and change before they begin lighting the candles." Rin hurried off. "But keep that one dear," The demoness raised a brow suggestively. "You never know when it will come in handy."

The females were in the main hall mere minutes later. Inuyasha found Kagome and whisked her away as did Lord Sashine to Yosai. Rin left to find her Lord. Her veil obscured her face but her scent was enough to alert him of her nearing presence. He turned from staring out at the blank landscape. Rin unconsciously held her breath. Her simple white slippers were brilliant against the white in the kimono, as was the skin of her legs that revealed themselves with every step. She made little noise as she glided toward him. Most suddenly an image flashed through her mind. His hands, lifting the veil and caressing her neck as he kissed her fully and pulled her body against his. She blinked hard to dispel the image but she found her eyes wandering back to his lips and thought it safer to stare at the landscape too.

"Have they lit the candles?" She asked lightly trying to find a topic as far from her masters inviting being.

"No." He said and returned to his gazing. Rin felt the proximity of his body. He was farther from her than she wanted but he had not moved and it was she that had picked this spot to stand. She wondered if he would notice her inch closer and decided against it. Sesshoumaru noticed everything. She silently appraised him. He was wearing a blank white kimono, as he tended to do, but it made him look paler than usual giving him an ethereal glow against the moonlight. "Why do you stare at me?" He asked not moving his eyes from the sky.

Rin's eyes widened and she looked down immediately. She knew not answering would not make the question go away. On contrary, It would encourage him to delve deeper into the topic. "You looked different tonight was all, my Lord." She replied smoothly. It was not a lie and Rin was surprised with the confidence in her voice.

"Different how?" He asked being typical Sesshoumaru persistent.

Rin cursed in her head. "Paler." She said picking the one adjective she didn't think would raise a brow.

Thankfully silence followed. She had cut it off and she felt like she could laugh with victory. "Tonight is not the only night I speak of. Have I looked paler every night?" He asked finally turning to use his eyes against her. Rin cursed again. She should have known for him to be more intelligent than that.

"No I was only speaking of tonight, my Lord." She hurried to explain. She didn't want it to look like she was lying to him….again.

"The last night we were together, we were eating in my garden why were you staring at me?" He took a step toward her. The depth of his voice was making the sensors in her brain buzz and hinder her thinking.

"You had flower petals in your hair." Again not a lie, he had indeed had late cherry blossoms stuck in his hair.

"And the night before, in the library?" He was closer and she was running out of space to back up.

"I was interested in what you were reading." Perfectly true.

He stopped an evil smirk lighting his face. "What was I reading Rin?"

"I don't know what you were reading, that is why I was interested." She quipped, rather liking this game.

He took one quick step, his face inches from hers and she gasped his often forgotten speed. "I don't think those are the reasons you have been staring at me."

Rin smiled innocently. "I wouldn't lie to you my Lord."

Sesshoumaru backed away and made a noise in his throat. "Come, Nanjo will light the candles soon."

Rin followed behind her master into the large hall. A fire was lit near one wall for youkai unaccustomed to the cold. Almost all around it were Southern and Isle nobles. Rin spotted the poisonous snake-youkai Jube Deido. "My Lord, do you associate with Lord Deido from Ukaraha Island?"

Sesshoumaru glanced toward the snake-youkai, now engaged in a conversation with some unrecognizable Southern Land nobles. "From time to time. There was rumor of war between the Isles. Deido suspects it was Gankanki that assassinated his father in an attempt to take over Ukaraha. He has no way to prove it." Sesshoumaru recapped completely emotionless.

"Who is Gankanki?"

He nodded toward a group near a table piled high with food. "He is the moth-youkai with the poisonous crests."

Rin saw him. His shoulder length hair changed colors every time he moved from a light source. It was darker in the shadows and lighter in the light. It perplexed Rin and she found herself studying him until his gaze caught her eyes. She was too well trained to jump, but she was inwardly shocked. His eyes were pink with red irises giving him a distinctly malicious disposition. "I can see where one would guess as much." She stated more to herself. She caught up with Sesshoumaru. "My Lord?" She asked, "Would you ever cut your hair?"

Sesshoumaru furrowed his brows for a moment confused with her randomness. "It would only grow back in a matter of days. There would be no point."

Rin nodded, it was food for thought. Nanjo was just ringing the bell for the lighting of the four candles that represented the four seasons. They were long candles and the guests were to enjoy themselves until they burned out. As Nanjo finished he made his way to the couple. A wide smile was on his face. "Good to see you again Rin. Have you figured out what the transformation accomplished exactly?"

Rin shook her head slowly. "I know I can still get sick, and my tummy still hurts when I eat too much. But my swords feel almost, lighter and those chains aren't around my arms anymore."

He chuckled. "Well I'm glad you came when you did, the pup was-" The hilt of Tensaiga shoved into Nanjo's gut and the older Inu's words caught.

While Nanjo held his stomach, a wicked grin on his face, Sesshoumaru splayed a hand on Rin's back and pushed her forward. "Come."

* * *

Hibina lowered his eyes and tried not to smile. It seemed things were going to go as planned as long as Ishan did as he was told. He didn't dare approach Rin yet or Sesshoumaru for that matter. No her was under the radar sitting quietly next to the large hearth, drinking and talking with whomever talked to him. He knew the time was coming and soon there would be big problem on poor Rin's hands and she would need someone to turn to. And that would be him.

* * *

Rin was offering candles to the guests as a favor to Nanjo, when Jube Deido approached her. "Lady Rin." He greeted simply.

She smiled. "Lord Deido. You are enjoying yourself I trust?" She handed him a candle.

A small smile, almost shy, lit his face, showing abnormally long and thin fangs. His brown cheeks reddening with a slight blush. "I am, yes. I have been ingtuiged by you. I have always wanted to know what makes you so special. You must be special in some way for Lord Sesshoumaru to keep you in the West, as his ward no less. Would you tell me?" He looked at her with barely contained eagerness.

Rin nodded and continued her rounds, subconsciously holding out candles and smiling. She thought hard about his question. "I'm sorry but, that is not for me to answer. Perhaps my Lord could tell you but," She smiled he secretively, "I really don't think he will."

Jube nodded. "I see."

"However, there is one who might know and tell you. Lord Nanjo has been my Lord's mentor for as long as I have known. He may know." Jube nodded and continued to walk with her. She noticed how young he was and sighed. There were only a few reasons why one his age would be ruling a land. "What about you, Lord Deido? How is it you came to rule Ukaraha by yourself?"

Jube rose a brow but didn't make any noticeable reaction. "My father was assassinated. Either I took the throne or someone else would have."

Rin nodded acting as if this was her first time hearing such. "I'm sorry for your loss. Did you apprehend the assassin?"

This time his jaw clenched, but he calmed himself quickly. "No, I had no way to prove that it was…who I think it is."

Rin decided she would ask the question she knew he was expecting her to. "I know that must be frustrating. Have you ever considered it may be someone else?"

Jube was quiet for a moment. They were on a large deck facing the shore. "No, I have only one person I suspect." He sighed. "My advisors tell me to let it go but I," He trailed off and Rin could see how strong he had to act to retain his position. Her heart felt for him.

"I know." She said with a reassuring smile. "It must be hard for you to just drop the incident. I don't know how anyone could ask that of you. But you rule a country now so you must do what is best for your people."

He nodded looking at her intently. "You are not much younger than I am."

"No," She laughed. "And that is by ningen standards."

A small smile lit his face. "How did you become so wise?"

"Sesshoumaru-sama." She said as an answer and Jube could see the reverence she held in just that name.

"You seem loyal."

"Yes-" Something in the back of Rin's mind shrieked and she instinctively moved her head back. A single stream of water, almost as thin as a couple pieces of hair, whizzed by her eyes. She turned to see Kia standing by the doors that led back into the hall. It seemed no one had noticed anything except the three of them. Jube looked between the two females, but said nothing.

Kia looked as beautiful as ever, her glossy black hair was piled high on her head and her kimono draped low around her shoulders. Her skin was a beautiful mesh of pale white and blue. "How could you?" She whispered.

Rin cocked her head to the side. Was she talking about Jube? Did she have feelings for him? "Kia what do you mean?" She asked.

The water-youkai moved two fingers deftly and another shard zoomed toward Rin. The changeling moved just as subtly to her right. "Do not play ignorant, you tramp. I thought you were my friend." She whispered vehemently.

Rin was quiet for a moment. It was obvious that something was not right. A few things were certain though, she could not call her swords. They would be far too noticeable. She could not call her Lord, he would kill Kia and deliver the body to the King via Kitsune messengers. And she had to get Jube out of this. She could tell by the rigid way he was standing, he had no experience in fighting, let alone dodge the untraceable shards Kia was vaulting. Rin held still and then flipped widely and ran toward the shore, Kia took after her like a bat out of hell. Rin thankful for the mobility of her kimono, flew ahead faster and cut to the right for the cover of the trees. Shards ripped by her and she was left to wonder what would make Kia wish to kill her?

Jube looked after the two females and casually walked back into the hall. He thought finding the Western Lord would be easy, but there had to be over three-hundred youkai present, servants included. He tried to be civil but felt panic running through his chest so he did what came natural. Letting his tongue snake out now and then he could taste the scents better than he could smell them and followed the essence that was Lord Sesshoumaru. It was unmistakable. He found him soon after and felt apprehension tighten in his stomach. He had associated with him before but he never ceased to be intimidating to Jube. The youkai fixed him with an almost bored expression. "Lord Sesshoumaru," Jube stepped closer than normal and whispered. "Lady Rin has fled with the underwater princess. I believe they are fighting."

Sesshoumaru raised a brow. "They will be back." He said as if there was no reason for alarm.

"No," Jube tried again. "Princess Kia is trying to kill her."

The words had barely left his mouth before the Lord was up and following Rin's scent. He reached the deck and turned to Jube, who had been hot on his heels. "Tell no one of this." He commanded and Jube, forgetting that he held the same rank as the older youkai, simply nodded.

* * *

**[A/N] There you go folks! Another evil cliffy!! Mwuahahahahaha! Review and tell me what you think will happen and the one who is right gets KUDOS!!! **


	10. Another loss

**[A/N] Woop Woop! Bring the heat! So far no Kudos! Thanks to for noticing that terrible typo last chappi. Lol. Enjoy! **

* * *

**Ningen Impossibilities**

**Chapter Nine**

Rin moved deftly avoiding branches as she ran through the trees. Kia was not far behind. The young princess had never inspired fear in Rin, but to say she was anything besides deadly, would be a mistake. They were nearing a clearing and Rin decided they were far enough to fight without attracting attention. She stopped and swung around facing the distraught water-youkai. "Kia." She called.

The female burst from the tree line heading straight for Rin. An especially long stream of water was collecting as Kia let her hand skim the snow covered ground. "You traitor!" She was immediately in front of Rin, thrusting the water toward her chest.

Rin had learned the hard way, that there was no deflecting a water based attack. She turned her body toward the left and shoved her shoulder into Kia. A hand was coming for Rin's throat and the ward barely had enough time to deflect it. Rin locked their fingers together, glad that she had the natural strength of a youkai, and pulled Kia into her, trying to throw her off balance. Kia slid her heel into the snow and thrust her hands out pushing Rin almost ten feet. Rin let herself fall on her back to avoid the stream aimed for her head. As she suspected, Kia ran toward her and Rin rolled herself to her hands and swung her legs in a wide circle, catching the princess in her cheek with both feet. Kia turned and unleashed a low kick, knocking Rin's hands from under her. The changeling fell on her face and popped her head up to see Kia had fallen on her ass. Rin huffed and pulled herself to her knees while Kia nursed her cheeks, blood leaking out the corner of her mouth. "Tell me what you are talking about, and I swear," She looked into the dark blue pupiless eyes of her friend. "I swear, I will tell you all I know."

Kia looked down at the ground. When she looked back up there were tears leaking. "How could you do that to me? How could you take the only thing I have ever wanted so much?" Rin remained quiet and Kia grew angry again. "You try to seduce Ishan even though you know I love him! First you blackmail him with our affair and then you try to take him from me! If you knew we were having an affair, why would you take him from me Rin? I thought you cared about me?"

Rin narrowed her eyes. "I have never tried to seduce Ishan. Never. And what affair are you speaking of? Kia, you are not even of age yet! You cannot have an affair, least of all with Ishan! Even his mother speaks of all the women that go through his chamber doors."

The princess was up again charging for Rin. "Liar!"

A well placed kick to the chest knocked Kia back to the snow covered ground. "I speak the truth! Ishan does not love you Kia! He has tried multiple times to court me!"

Kia was shoving random bursts of water at Rin, who maneuvered smoothly. "You lie, you lie! Ishan would never lie to me! He loves me! I thought you were my friend!"

Rin jumped forward and kicked Kia in the joint of her elbow, breaking the arm with an audible crack. The princess barely uttered a sound. Rin grabbed her other wrist. "I am telling the truth Kia! He even," She hesitated, embarrassed to her core. "he kissed me! The day he came back from his travels. I didn't want him to, I didn't know he would! But Ishan Sashine does not love you Kia, leave him alone! He will only hurt you." Rin tried to plead with her friend.

Kia stopped struggling with Rin. "And how would you know, huh?" She asked mockingly. "You think I don't know, Rin? Everyone knows who hurt you!" Rin shrank back like she had been slapped in the face. "Oh yes, you give advice but you don't follow it! Why don't you leave him alone Rin? Everyone can see Rin, you're just the sad little ningen that fell in love with Sesshoumaru-sama." She said the name mockingly.

Rin stood suddenly backing away from Kia. Right now she could kill her for what she had said. "You know nothing." She was barely able to spit out.

"I wonder what you did to become like this." She waved her hand to Rin. "You're still not youkai. I bet you would give your soul to become one. Do you think that will give you a chance with him?" Kia laughed. "Just leave him alone Rin, he will only hurt you." She sneered.

"Do you think ridiculing me will make Ishan love you anymore?" Rin bit back.

"You're just jealous!" Kia launched to her feet. "You know that cold bastard will never love you so you try to take Ishan from me!"

"Believe what you want fool! But you will see all he ever wanted was to see you beneath him! I may be ignorant to intimacy, but I am not ignorant to manipulation, you are!"

Kia opened her mouth to retort when they both snapped their heads to the side. Sesshoumaru was there crouched in a branch. Kia cursed and ran to the cliff before she jumped she turned back to Rin. "You will see, ningen, that all he could ever want you for is to be under him." She leapt and hit the water soundlessly and Rin was left with her words resounding in her ears. Rin felt humiliated, she had no idea how long her Lord had been there. She hadn't smelled him or sensed him at all. The two had only seen him because the wind blew his scent their way. She knew what she must look like, her kimono sopping from rolling in snow, her hair a terrible mess and several little cuts she could feel healing as she stood there. She took the long elaborately tasseled pins out and her hair fell. Something was building in her chest as she stared at her wet feet. She had just lost her best friend, the one she had known since she had arrived in the Western Palace. They had shared everything with each other and now they were no more. Over what? Over who, Ishan? Kia had even said he was the one to feed her those lies. Rin wanted to kill him, but she knew she couldn't. Not only would that bring war, but she couldn't do that to Yosai or Suzari, not after they had accepted her in their home.

It was in her throat now, it had risen from her chest and was threatening to spill out of her. Deep inside, she knew what Kia said was right. She had been elated to know that she wasn't ningen anymore. A glimmer of hope had opened in her somewhere. A thought that maybe things would be different now, and she was ashamed to have it thrown in her face. Was it so obvious? Every morning she woke scared that it had been a dream and she was human again, doomed to live but a fraction of the life she wanted. Doomed to grow old and watch her Lord stay in his immortal beauty. It was spilling over now and Rin knew what it was threatening to come out. Tears, sobs, wails of sorrow. She couldn't, she wouldn't, not in front of her Lord. She could not count how many times she had ever cried in front of him because she didn't remember any. Not when he was banishing her, not when she was in pain, not when she was dying. She may have cried over him, or near him, but never in front of him. But now she could see them hitting the snow, the tears, and she tightened her grip in an effort to stop the flow. But all that succeeded in doing was spilling blood from her palms to pool on the pristine white below. Her legs were threatening to give out, but she refused. She couldn't fall to her knees. She couldn't be weak. She had to be strong, fearless, immaculate, flawless, perfect. But her body was shaking now and she knew if she took one more breath it would all come pouring out. The pressure was building up and she grit her teeth in the effort. She had never, in all her life, ever tried this hard to not cry, but she was failing. And then the ground was moving up to meet her face but something warm wrapped around her.

Sesshoumaru held her close. He didn't know why he had stayed in the branch, just watching her. He was at a loss of what to do, but an overwhelming urge to protect her, to comfort her had made him move when she was falling. Rin was always strong and now in his arms, her chest heaving as she cried harder than he had ever seen any being, she was vulnerable and delicate. He wrapped his arms tighter around her and sank into the snow. She was so small to him as she cried, sitting in his lap, her bloody hands clenching the front of his hoari. He understood her sorrow. Rin and Kia had been introduced on purpose. Kian had been spending time in the West and his daughter was extremely young. Rin needed another female to relate with and help her cope, so Sesshoumaru allowed the princess to teach Rin to swim. He had watched their friendship bloom and now he had just seen it crumble to nothing. A replay of Rin's face flashed in his mind. As Kia had yelled those things her perfect face of concern had crumbled to shock, then pain, and finally a mix of pain and rage.

The accusations were ringing in his head as Rin shook in his arms. Kia accused Rin of being in love with him. He didn't know what to think about that, but he remembered what Rin had said that night in his garden. She had said he was, 'the one Rin lives for, the only thing Rin loves.' He had taken it for being a conspiracy against him but somewhere he knew it was true. There was nothing he could do about it. What the princess said was true, he could never love her. But right now he simply needed to comfort his ward. She was his charge. She was his.

* * *

Rin opened her eyes slowly. She was in a large room and somewhere nearby was Sesshoumaru, she could smell him. The sun was bright but the dark curtains were drawn. Rin could hear birds and the wind. She sat up and looked around, she was in a huge bed high off the floor of an even bigger room, one she recognized as her Lord's. That was why she smelled him so strongly, but he was nowhere to be found. She lowered her face to the place next to her. Her Lord had been laying there earlier, but must have left some time ago. She lowered herself to the floor and walked around to the personal garden. It was covered in a thick blanket of fresh snow and there sitting on the edge of a frozen fountain was her Lord, reading the same worn looking scroll as before. Rin looked down, she had been changed to a simple white robe. It was decent enough. As soon as she walked into the garden the temperature hit her and the wind swept her hair behind her.

Sesshoumaru glanced up at her."You still cannot withstand bare contact with extreme temperatures Rin. Go back inside."

As much as it sounded like a suggestion, Rin knew it was an order. She turned and headed back for his room, in the hall she called to him. "My Lord, am I to go about my daily chores?"

"Stay in my chamber." He said not even looking up.

Rin dried her feet and climbed back into the large bed covered in his scent. She heard him whistle and knew he was calling the maids. Only a moment later Jaken entered pushing a cart larger than himself, full of food. Without a word Jaken left and a minute later Sesshoumaru entered. He put the scroll away and sat in a chair across from Rin. He motioned for her to eat. Rin was ravenous, but controlled herself so she wouldn't soil his sheets. She was chewing on some egg before she mentally smacked herself. "My Lord? Do you wish to eat with me?"

Sesshoumaru was silent a moment before saying "No." He had every intention of questioning her about the other night. Instead of going back to Nanjo's palace he had simply run back to the West. He was a little worried when Rin had continued to sleep but decided to wait longer before calling a physician.

Rin's belly was full but she saw a delightful little pastry. It was sweet bread smothered in a light brown sugar glaze. She stood and picked up the little pastry and presented it to her Lord. Sesshoumaru looked from her to the pastry and didn't seem like he would accept it. "It is good my Lord." She bit a piece and offered it to him again. Slowly Sesshoumaru bit a piece off and Rin smiled. He allowed himself to be fed the rest of it and Rin brushed a crumb off his lips. She moved to step backward but Sesshoumaru caught her wrist and yanked her toward him. She caught herself on the wall behind him to keep from crashing into him.

"Are you in love with me?" He asked simply. His voice coming out harsher than meant.

Rin's eyes dropped and her cheeks flooded. Still she could not lie to her Lord. "Yes." She offered.

She waited for him to speak, to deny her, to tell her it could never be and that she had to leave. "Why?" He asked softly. When she didn't answer he growled. "Look at me Rin."She obeyed. "Why?" He asked again.

Rin opened her mouth and a squeak came out. She blushed harder. "You are strong." She said finally.

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow. "I am strong?" He was confused.

"And wise." She offered nothing else and the Lord could see this would be difficult.

"Are you after my throne?" He asked knowing her reaction.

Rin's eyes flew open. "No!" She practically yelled.

"Then tell me why you are in love with me."

She bit her lower lip and her voice went back down to a whisper. "You are strong, and wise, and fair, and beautiful, and intelligent, and kind to Rin." She said slipping back into third person.

Sesshoumaru stood and allowed her freedom. He went and pulled a curtain aside and gazed out the large wall length window. "You understand that it could never be."

:"Why?" It flew out of her before she could stop it. She should have known she couldn't question her Lord. But she couldn't help it. She had been wanting to know this for so long. "Is it because I am still ningen?"

Sesshoumaru did not speak for a long moment. "I am not sure what you are Rin, but you are not ningen."

"Then why?" She had abandoned protocol. He could just kill her for her insolence. But she knew he wouldn't.

Again he was silent. "You have nothing to offer me."

His reply hurt more than she thought. Out of all the expected answers that was not one of them. She had nothing to offer? It made sense. She was a poor changeling, and a Lord would only marry a noble demoness with a large dowry. "Because I have no dowry?" She asked, her pain making her voice harsher than she intended.

He fixed her with a glare meant to check her. "You ask a lot of me Rin." He began to walk toward her. "I take you into my home, I raise you in nothing short of the finest and here, you question me on this silly matter."

Silly? Rin was ready to scream. Strangely, she did not feel like she would cry, just scream. "Silly matter." She repeated staring at the floor.

"You lied to me."

Rin jumped. When had he gotten so close? "Lied to you, my Lord?"

"I asked you why you stare at me and you lied to me."

Rin shook her head. "I never lied to you my Lord. The reasons I gave were the reasons. You didn't ask for every reason." Even now, her eyes were drawn to his like a magnet.

"You stare at me because you are in love with me." He spoke as if it was some new and interesting subject to him. Still it hurt. A knock resounded on the door and Rin took the opportunity to duck back to the cart. She pushed the cart to the door and began to make his bed. "Enter." He said still watching Rin.

Jaken eased open the door and bowed from the other side of the thick shoji. "My Lord, a messenger from the middle wishes to see you." When Sesshoumaru nodded, Jaken bowed and closed the door again.

Rin stood waiting near the bed her eyes looking anywhere but the youkai on the other side of the bed. "May I begin my chores, my Lord?" Sesshoumaru slid open his door and Rin grabbed the cart and left at a very brisk walk.

* * *

The sun was just waking up and Rin was in the army training grounds. The youkai there watched her warily. Any could see that she was pent up and needing an outlet for her frustrations. She could challenge them, but by now there was no shame in refusing Lady Rin to a mock battle. It could be your last. She prowled around the large cemented clearing and leapt high into one of the largest trees.

It had been almost a week since her Lord had made the discovery and he had been treating her like some sort of experiment. She could not remember a time when she was ever out of sorts with her Lord, but right now she was furious. Nanjo still had her swords and she was to go and collect them but she didn't feel like traveling to the East. An idea popped in her head. She could smell her Lord coming, as he usually did, to talk with his generals. Lately it seemed he was preparing for war. He spotted his ward in the high tree. "Lord Sesshoumaru," She called calmly. He stopped and looked at her as a form of acknowledgement. "I wish to practice with you." She was sure to not say the word 'challenge'.

He was silent a moment. "You have not gone to retrieve your swords."

"No." Rin stated calmly. She turned her body toward the East and closed her eyes. She concentrated finding the intangible link between her and the demon energy surrounding her swords. There were no chains now, but the link was stronger than ever. She could feel a tremor going through her arms and was glad she was wearing a sleeveless hakama and wide legged pants. They were coming, zooming across the land at her call. She was sure every other youkai could feel it too, the energy moving too fast to be anything other than the swords forged for her. She could see them, hilt first and her hands flashed out to catch them. The force threw her off balance so she leapt backwards and landed with a simple flip. She was charging for her Lord before he even unsheathed one of his swords.

She attacked objectively, going for easy kills and then moving awkwardly that was a style all her own. She paid attention to his hands and eyes. He was fast but his style was one she knew like the back of her hand. He was dodging her, and making it look effortless. She leapt back at the same time he did and stood there making no movement. Sesshoumaru took that for what it was and began walking toward her. He unleashed Tokkijen in one quick swoop that brought a wave of energy to Rin. She thrust Ijo and Yijo in front of her to absorb most of it and was pushed back a couple feet. She suddenly felt like she had bitten off more than she could chew, but cleared her mind of apprehension or fear. He was very nearly on top of her when he swung Tokkijen and Rin used his own focer to drive it into the ground. She made to kick him but he grabbed her by the ankle and threw her.

Rin was aware that as she flew through the air, there was an energy wave following her and as soon as it caught up with her, it was going to hurt like hell. She stabbed Yijo into the ground and spun out of the way of the attack. She flipped lightly and threw Yijo toward Sesshoumaru, he moved quickly, but Rin extended her hand and spun in a tight circle. Yijo made a slight turn and raced back toward Rin heading straight for her Lord's neck. For a moment her gut tightened and she thought he didn't notice it, but he took off straight for her, Yijo right behind him. Rin stepped on his sword and reached over his shoulder to grab Yijo. She turned and slashed downward, cutting his hoari and leaving a long red line on his left shoulder.

Sesshoumaru turned and looked at his shoulder. Rin looked at Yijo and the thin line of blood decorating it. She smiled in triumph. The Western Lord bolted toward her and slashed at her legs. She jumped up and he grabbed her by her ankle and threw her face first toward the ground. Rin locked her arms in front of her to take the fall, but she felt a slash go across her back. She spun and stood facing her opponent. His hoari and hakama had fallen open to reveal his shoulder and blood, but the wound was already closed. She could feel the blood trickling down her back and then her hakama and hoari began to fall down her chest. She gasped and used her left hand to hold it up. He had cut completely across the back of her, from arm to arm and now her sleeveless tops were falling. She had very few options at this point. He gazed at her with a bored expression, mirth lighting the corners of his mouth and his eyes. Rin could feel the eyes of all the other youkai and the more that were coming up to watch. She stuck both Ijo and Yijo in the snow and ripped her hakama at the waist. She kept her breasts covered at all times while she quickly maneuvered it around and tied it in the back. Now her stomach, arms and most of her back was exposed.

Rin pushed other thoughts and feelings aside and focused on Sesshoumaru's amused face. She flipped Ijo and Yijo in her hand, thinking of a strategic way to sever some more of her Lords clothing. She had to keep her back away from his at all costs. If he slashed the knot she made, her clothing would burst open and reveal her chest. Something told her he wouldn't do that though. His long hair, even pulled up, flowed down to his lower back as he stood perfectly still and assessed her. They ran for each, Sesshoumaru attacking and Rin deflecting him since he was too powerful to parry. She concentrated in her unusual movements, taking her Lord by surprised every now and then. Sesshoumaru cut horizontally, Rin ducked and meshed herself against him. She locked her blades behind his back and ran them around to his abdomen. He winced and she leapt away, but not before he ran his claws down her right arm.

She surveyed her work with smirk and Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed. His hoari and hakama were both in tatters and covered in blood. He stabbed Tokkijen into the ground and ripped off the rest of the scraps covering his upper body. Rin could hear the audible gasps and glanced over to see the maids and servants had joined the soldiers. By the time she turned back to Sesshoumaru, he was right in front of her. They clashed for a while and Rin was hacking with both swords when Sesshoumaru dodged her right hand and caught her left, bending it back. She gasped and dropped her sword and Sesshoumaru kicked it away never letting her wrist go. She tried to slice hit with her other sword but he dropped Tokkijen, caught her arm and twisted. Rin attempted to knee him but he moved his body to the side sliding his leg between hers. He was trying to disable her but Rin gave one last thrust with her heel and the both toppled over.

He fell on her and Rin rolled and tried to make him let go but he extended his arms above his head making Rin fall against his chest. Lightening went through her senses, she had never felt her naked skin against his own. He rolled them again and slammed her wrists together in his right hand. He sat on her legs and looked down at her while she tried to wiggle out of his hold. Eventually she saw that she had lost and pouted looking everywhere but at him.

"Do you submit?" He asked haughtily as if there was an option.

Rin sighed. She didn't know why she upset. She should not have expected to win, of course. "Hai, my Lord."

He was up in an instant and retrieved Tokkijen. "Bathe and dress, after my meeting we are leaving for the Middle Lands."

Rin stood and bowed to his retreating figure noticing, for the first time, the way the muscles in his back moved as he walked. A light blush crept into her face and she turned and jogged back to the inner palace.

* * *

They left in the mid afternoon, traveling together as a pair again. Au-Un raced onward above them as they traveled northward to cross over the river that separated the Middle Lands and the Western Lands. Rin ran alongside her Lord. They were in no hurry and therefore traveled leisurely. Inside Rin seethed. Ever since her confession, Sesshoumaru treated her as if she was some fatally ill ningen, and he was curious to see what made her sick. What made it worse was that she ached for him, more and more. Kia's words rippled through her head but Rin was determined to pay no mind to what the delusional princess had to say. She was ready to make a move of her own. She realized that she couldn't not stand by and wait for her Lord to see that she could be his, that she had everything to offer him. She was going to have to make him see.

The sun was setting and they had reached the tip of the Western Land. Au-Un was there waiting, laying in one of the many stone alcoves surrounding the cliff. There he had eaten some of the strong, dark grass that grew in the winter. Rin suggested camping there since she knew he liked to sleep in his own land and would certainly object if they were in the Middle. He nodded and began walking to a larger alcove, across from his dragon. He watched the sunset as Rin quickly made a fire. She flitted away and caught four squirrels to feed her master.

"Are you hungry, my Lord?" She asked not even looking his way, as she skinned the little animals and placed their meat on slender branches to cook near the fire.

"Yes," He said simply. Rin took a small parcel of spices from her kimono. She mixed it with snow and poured it over the meat as it cooked, a trick she had learned from Kagome who was used to cooking outdoors.

The meat was done by the time the sky was dark and Sesshoumaru laid there as usual. Rin put out the fire and sat next to her Lord feeding him the smaller pieces first since squirrel was tough meat. She used her teeth to tear long strips of it and then would dangle it against his lips so he could take a bite. The wind blew, filling the recess with intoxicating smell of him. Rin tried to concentrate on simply feeding him but she dropped a piece. She hadn't meant to, it just slipped out of her fingers and onto the little of chest that peeked out from under his hakama. She thanked Kami she had not ruined his immaculate white kimono and picked it up apologizing profusely. She fed him the last piece but she could see the glaze from the meat still on his chest; he would become sticky if she left it there. Rin was unsure of what to do. If it was herself, she would have licked it or if she couldn't reach it, simply use water to wipe it off. She currently had no water, doubted he would allow snow, and was apprehensive about licking her Lord.

Sesshoumaru stared at her, his golden eyes all to aware of her predicament. "I'm so sorry." She said again, her cheeks reddening in the moonlight as she looked from the spot to his eyes. He still said nothing. "My Lord, I am unsure of what to do." She said honestly. Sesshoumaru sat up, ducked his head, and licked himself twice. Rin's blinked in surprise. She hadn't known he could to that or that his tongue was so long. He looked at her and then her right hand. Her first finger and thumb were sticky from feeding him. Slowly she moved her hand closer to him, unsure if that was what he wanted. He opened his mouth and closed it around her finger, his fangs grazed her and her ran his tongue against it.

Two things dawned on Rin. His tongue was as hot as she imagined, and it was unbelievably textured. A small gasp escaped and he moved to clean her thumb. Desire ran through her and she knew he knew it. The scent was thick and her heart began to beat faster. He locked his golden orbs with her wide hazel eyes and moved his face closer to hers. His tongue snaked out and licked the side of her mouth where she had gotten messy and forgotten to wipe it off. He laid back down and closed his eyes. Rin was glad for the breeze when it came. She cleaned up and then laid next to her Lord. She didn't dare sleep for fear of her dreams and by dawn they were across the river.

* * *

Mid morning found them in the Middle Provinces palace. Rin was surprised to see Nanjo and Hibina were guests as well. The Lords spoke while Yosai and Rin gossiped with each other. "I was so surprised that you left so early!" Yosai said.

"Yes, my apologies for not telling you. We had an emergency and had to report home immediately."

"That's too bad, you should have seen that dreadful Gankanki get drunk and stumble into Eisho's wife!" She giggled and Rin tried to picture the intimidating youkai stumble.

"Oh dear, was there trouble?"

"No, no. That was as far as entertainment went, although I must say, Lord Nanjo's palace never ceases to amaze me." She opened her fan to grin behind it. "You will be glad to hear that we are hosting the Kariputchu festival this year."

"Ah." Rin smiled. "Do you intend to submit someone new in the ring?"

"Well we must dear, you killed our last one. Besides, I hear Lord Zenno has a very young general and the rumor is he is even faster than you."

"He may be." Rin smirked. "But if my Lord enters me again, I will not lose."

They talked on until the Lords emerged and dinner was served. Sesshoumaru and Nanjo went for a walk in the neighboring forest, Yosai went to her husband and Rin went to walk around the palace. "May I join you?" A voice asked.

"Of course." Rin replied amiably.

They walked a little ways and Hibina sighed. "I heard what happened with the Princess." He said quietly.

Rin stiffened. "How did you hear that?"

"Ishan told me. He is at my house currently. I am sorry for your loss. I know you and the princess were good friends."

Something tingled in the back of Rin's head. How could Hibina have learned about what happened so quickly? "You knew of the affair?" She asked.

He hesitated. "Yes, but it was none of my business. I did advise Ishan against it but, he claimed he was in love." The youkai shrugged. "The heart does not listen, I suppose."

Rin was quiet a moment. She took a step away from him. "Lord Hibina something does not make sense."

He looked at her with full red eyes. "I don't understand, what does not make sense?"

Rin took another step back, danger ringing in her senses. She had thought it coincidences, but it seemed every tragedy occurring around her was linked to Hibina. Dancing with him, earned her exile, but she had been there and seen how it happened. The bloodbringer poison in her system turned out to originate from the South. But that had little weight, every poison originated from one country or another and bloodbringer was not the worst of them. Now she loses Kia and less than two weeks later Hibina is here to console her. It was not totally incriminating, but something just did not seem right to Rin. She assessed him. He stood there looking back at her, his hands tucked in his sleeves and waited patiently for her. She looked up to the sky, the moon was rising high. "I'm not sure." She said finally.

Hibina nodded. "Then lets speak on this matter tomorrow." They continued back around to the entrance of the palace. Before she left Hibina touched her shoulder. "Remember Lady Rin, I am here if you ever need anything." With that he left.

* * *

It was late in the night and Rin was standing outside his door, in the cold Middle Lands corridor and she didn't know why. "Enter." He said softly. Rin closed the door behind herself and turned to see him laying, even in the cold of the mid winter night, shirtless. Rin took a comb from on the armoire and sat next to him. She swept his hair to one side and began combing it. It was tangled but it never looked that way. His window was open and Rin shivered slightly in the harsh breeze. His eyes were closed and she was content to groom him. The wind blew some strands onto his face and Rin used her hand hook them behind his ear. As soon as her fingers touched the point of his ear, his eyes flew open and his body gave a small jerk.

He blinked and Rin, fascinated by this effect ran her knuckle against the shell of his ear. She watched his eyes flutter and the muscles of his abdomen tighten spastically. Rin giggled and was prepared to do it again when, with a growl, Sesshoumaru pinned her to the futon and without warning took her ear between his teeth. She gasped and squealed as she tried to wiggle away. He relentlessly rolled the skin between his teeth and she pushed at his chest. He used his tongue and licked from the base of her ear to the slight point on the tip and Rin arched against his chest and instinctively buried her nose in his neck. He growled and couldn't stop himself from licking lower than her ear, and tracing the vein in her neck.

A scent assaulted her in a most delicious way. It was thick and heady and made her brain buzz and caution melt. It was his want, his desire. She inhaled deeply, reveling in the scent, her lips brushing across the skin of his neck and he growled, pushing himself on her harder, instinct telling him to make her submit. She responded by pushing up against him, he growled lower in his chest, a warning, but she pushed again and he snapped at her, his teeth locking around her neck. She grew still, her breathing heavy. He released her and moved his face to look directly in her eyes. "I suggest," He voice an octave above a growl, "you retire, before you begin something you cannot finish."

The realization hit her in a wave. She wasn't ready. As much as she thought she might have been, as much as she knew she wanted him, she wasn't ready. He watched her intently as she slid from under him, bowed low and left.

* * *

**[A/N] 6100 words this chappi, woop! Review!**


	11. Intimate recognition

**[A/N] Woooop! Things get a little steamy! Another similarity in this chappi with P&C, my other fic. Kudos to whoever figures it out! I took a certain idea from a certain reviewer, lol sorry Ikasury I just loved your gauntlets! ^.^ Anywho, I hope everyone enjoys!**

* * *

**Ningen Impossibilities**

**Chapter Ten**

Sesshoumaru was having difficulty keeping himself together. He didn't know what he hated more, the fact that his eyes kept looking for her, or the fact that he was starting not to care. Last night had awoken something in him. It had been far too long since he felt someone beneath him, and he could still smell her, feel her. It was irritating. Rin was laughing and embracing Yosai for her a new fan the Lady had just given her. His mind flashed and he could feel her breath against his neck, her chest pressing against his. He blinked slowly to dispel the images. What the hell was going on?

"My Lord!" Rin was running over to the tree he was perched in. Needing to clear his mind he had leapt high in a tree near the window of his chamber. He peered down at her and she flitted up to a branch next to his. Her smile was wide and innocent and it seemed she didn't even remember last night. That thought bothered him. "Lady Sashine has given me the prettiest fan I have ever seen!" She held the fan out and Sesshoumaru took it. He opened it and was impressed. It was a clear depiction of dragons all trying to devour each other. The colors were vibrant and contrasting. He wanted to run his claws through it, instead he handed it back to Rin. She didn't wait for him to speak, simply took it and flitted back to the Lady.

Despite the season, the sun was shining and it was uncannily bright. That made two things irking him right now and it became three as he watched Hibina stride to join the Ladies. He held out two long boxes to each of them. To Yosai he had given two lovely pins with the elemental sign of wind engraved on the top. And for Rin, two wide metal bracelets with patch of material that would cover the top of her hand. She slipped them on and secured the material around her finger. Yosai had Rin insert the pins and both Ladies bowed to the Southern Lord. Rin's hair was twisted up and flowed down her right shoulder. When the wind blew it into her face Hibina moved it back, Rin smiled at him and Sesshoumaru couldn't stop his growl. He was suddenly not in the tree anymore and was making his way toward the group.

Rin was talking with them and Sesshoumaru chose when Hibina was speaking to call his ward's name. Her head snapped toward him and she rose to face him, waiting to hear what he desired of her. He walked by the group and without hesitation Rin fell in step behind him and waited for him to speak. Options played in the Lord's head. He could order Rin to not associate with Hibina, but he didn't have a legitimate reason. He didn't really need one but he didn't want to confirm the feeling in his chest, even if it was to himself. Or he could find ways and excuses to keep her near him. "Lord Zenno is to arrive soon and I want you to meet him and this general he speaks of." Sesshoumaru commanded although the Northern Lord was not expected for another three hours or so.

"Hai, my Lord." She stated as usual. He continued to walk and she stayed behind him, to his right.

Sesshoumaru stopped and Rin pause beside him. He pointed forward. "There, maybe three miles or so, is a small lake. Run for it."

Rin smiled, understanding her Lord's request for what it was. "And if I win, my Lord?"

Sesshoumaru let a devious little smirk lit his face. "I will tell you anything you wish to know."

Rin took off and Sesshoumaru counted to three before he bolted as well. Rin took to lower ground, knowing her master's method of moving and unsheathed Yijo. She used her momentum to slice through five trees without breaking a stride, hoping this would slow him down. Sesshoumaru, unaware, pushed off one of the sliced trees and it gave way, cutting the length of his leap in half. He tried with the next few but he had the same result. He stayed low and sped up. Rin was a quick as she was clever and he found a couple more obstacles barring his path but she was always near enough to smell. He caught sight of her and unleashed his whip and wrapped it around her ankle. He yanked her feet from under her and leapt over her in one stride. Rin hopped to her feet and made a mad jump to land on his back. He stopped and grabbed at her but she wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his chest. He was about to slam her into a tree when she disengaged her legs from him, and pushed off against the tree. Sesshoumaru lost his footing and caught himself on his hands, when he turned she was already running for the lake. It was close enough to smell and Rin felt she actually had a chance. Suddenly his whip wrapped around her metal clad wrists and yanked her back. She maneuvered so she hit him square in the chest and clung to him as he neared the lake.

Sesshoumaru tired to fling her off of him but she leaned up and licked his ear. He made a noise of shock and his body went still. Rin pushed against him and did a wide summersault in the air. She landed right next to the lake and turned to see him standing there his face light with red and his eyes accusatory. "Cheating is for the desperate." He said as he walked to her.

"I don't call it cheating my Lord, simply tactical maneuvering and strategizing."

He raised a brow and stood before her. "Did you truly desire to win so much?" Rin nodded a grin of triumph on her face. He pushed her into the freezing lake. She surfaced sputtering and breathing hard. She swam for the bank but she kept falling under the surface of the water. She reached the bank and held her hand out to grab the ground there but she kept slipping. Sesshoumaru grabbed her hand and she poked her head up from the water to reveal her eyes. With a quick tug she pulled him into the water. He surfaced his eyes wider than Rin had ever seen them before. He looked at her with something akin to disbelief. She tried to swim back out of the water but he grabbed her and threw her back in. She fell underwater, spotted his leg and tugged him under as well.

When they finally surfaced Sesshoumaru vaulted from the water and literally shook himself. Rin rang her loose hair out and couldn't keep the giggles as she watched him. He glanced sideways at her. "You are devious as you are treacherous."

Rin laughed harder. "Only for you, my Lord." She tried to ring out her kimono but it was still sopping and freezing. Sesshoumaru took off his hakama and rang it out leaving his hoari clinging to him. Rin looked away. She didn't want to remember the feeling of his hard chest pressed against hers. She turned her back and mimicked him, for once wishing she had not worn a white kimono.

"Come." She heard him say. She walked toward him, her arms covering her very visible chest and he scooped her up and began the run back. Even with his warm body against hers the wind was enough to make her whole body shake. They reached the palace quicker than when they left and she was grateful for the fire, warm clothes and tea.

* * *

Rumaji Zenno was a big youkai. He had short wild dark brown hair with visible streaks and patches of black. His eyes were a deep auburn brown with a hint of red and oblong pupils. Like both Sesshoumaru and Nanjo, he carried the crests of canine royalty, his along the neck and shoulders He was a stocky, tanned, wolf youkai that dressed as if it were summer with sleeveless kimono of dark brown, black and grey. The man with him was slender with longer, shaggier brown hair and almost vacant eyes. Lord Sashine greeted them and the Lords sat in a large room. Lady Sashine behind her husband, Rin behind Sesshoumaru, a Kitsune was behind Hibina and Zenno's general was behind him. The Lord's discussed neighboring ningen villages that warred with each other, trade, the unrest of the Isles, and treaties. Since it was not an official meeting between the rulers of Nippon, no treaty was renewed and Rin had a feeling Sesshoumaru was not upset at this fact.

Rin was used to sitting for long hours and began to zone out and let her mind wander. She was not needed for anything. The spot she was sitting in was reserved for a Lord's wife, personal retainer/guard, or top general. None of what she was officially, yet none seemed to question her attendance. By time the moon was high it was over and dinner was served in a large dinning chamber. Sesshoumaru rose to retire, and Rin automatically followed him.

Rin had changed into a thick, brown, wool kimono and was, yet again, standing outside her Lord's chamber. They were to leave in the morning and his specific instructions were to rest because they were traveling nonstop back to the West. Yet here she was standing outside his door like a dolt. "Will you stand there all night?" He asked.

Rin let herself into his room. She grabbed a comb and went to sit beside him. He looked at her apprehensively and she chuckled. "Don't worry my Lord, I'll not touch your ear this time."

His cheeks pinked ever so slightly that she would not have caught it. But he grunted and turned on his side. She combed his hair until his eyes closed and his breathing evened deeply. Asleep he looked so much more mortal, then impenetrable. "You are by far the most beautiful thing I have ever seen." She murmured to herself as she dragged her hands through his silken hair. She let her fingers trail down the base of his neck and she kissed him there before standing and leaving. As she closed the door Sesshoumaru opened his eyes, his hands going to the back of his neck as he processed what Rin had said. A small smile rest on his lips as he finally fell asleep.

* * *

"Trust me, I will have no need of her as soon as he signs the West to me. I will give her right to you." Hibina sighed rubbing his temples. "Honestly Ishan, are you even listening to me?"

Ishan raked his hands through his long multicolored hair. "I don't know if this is a good idea Hibina. Sesshoumaru will simply kill us all than sign over the West. Even for Rin."

"Are you daft?" Hibina asked, his voice raising. "Have you not seen the way that dog prowls around her like he's protecting a bone? He would give his right leg for her, this I can assure you. If we play the cards right, we'll both come out of this very happy. You can have your obsession and I can have mine. With Sesshoumaru out of the way, Nanjo and his puny army will be like stomping on leaves. I will have all I have ever wanted. This has to work perfectly though Ishan. You must get that water bitch to do as I instructed."

"Kia has been out of sorts ever since her fight with Rin. I don't think she trusts me anymore." Ishan worried.

"Then make her trust you!" Hibina bit out. "Just tell her what I told you and make sure your damn convincing. By the summer everything will have fallen into place."

Ishan sighed and nodded. "I'm in too deep, I have no choice." Hibina nodded and sipped his tea. "Just promise me this." Ishan turned toward the older youkai. Hibina raised a brow and set his cup down. "You will leave mother, father and the Middle Lands alone."

Hibina smiled a friendly smile. "Of course Ishan, you should have known that."

* * *

Rin came up from the hot waters of the bath. She sighed in content. She had sent all the maids away and requested to not be disturbed. She submerged herself and swam downward seeing the seemingly bottomless pit. She didn't know how long she was under, she hadn't felt any discomfort. Rin decided she would get more air and then try to see how far down it went, but when she surfaced again she saw him standing against the door.

"I thought you had drowned yourself. It seems I am unable to determine what of you remains ningen." For what he said he didn't seem to concerned.

Rin swam to the edge and Sesshoumaru slid open the door to leave. "My Lord." She called emerging from the waist up, her long hair sticking to her naked flesh and pooling in the water. "would you care to join me?" She asked, feeding him with her eyes.

He turned fully toward her and cocked his head to the side. He knew what she was asking, and the disturbing part was a very large piece of him wanted to accept. He couldn't though. What they were doing, it was improper. "Rin," He said, about to tell her such but she stepped out of the water. Her hair obscured her breasts but nothing else.

"Come, my Lord, let me wash your hair." Rin purred as best as she knew how. Her brain was buzzing and she didn't know what was possessing her to act out so boldly. She grasped the front of his hakama with one hand and with the other she placed it on top of his and closed the door again. "We won't be long, I have sent everyone away."She tried to pull him toward the bath and surprisingly he moved with her showing little to no objection. She pulled at the dark black and white obi draped around his hips and watched as it undid itself and fell to pool around their bare feet. He watched her intently as she pulled his hakama out of his pants and then down his shoulders and next was his hoari.

Rin felt her nerves pick up again. This was as far as she had ever seen him undressed, but she didn't allow hesitation and pulled at the knot of his pants, unwrapping the sashes from around his waist. She kept her eyes on the floor as she dragged them down his legs and persuaded him to step out of them. She took his hand and turned to lead him to the water, silently thanking any god that would hear her for the borrowed bravery. She sat him on a ledge that submerged him to his neck. "If you wish it Rin will wash you, if you wish it."

Rin picked up a bowl and a smaller bowl filled with an unscented mixture meant to cleanse. Sesshoumaru struggled within himself. He should not authorize this, but she was there looking at him as he looked at her, refusing to do anything unless given his permission. He did, he did want her to bathe him. "You may." He said finally, his voice soft even in his own ears. Rin smile reassuringly and dipped the larger bowl into the water and poured it over his head. He closed his eyes and let the heat soak into his face and neck. The muscles in his shoulders and back were tight from him training his generals since their return to the West. She took his hand and led to the ledge completely out of the water. Rin dipped her hand into the smaller bowl and diligently began to rub the soap against his chest shoulders and arms. He watched her as she moved to his stomach. Her claws would trace of his side and the muscles would contract on their own accord. She traced his crests that wrapped around his waist. She was lower around his hips now and Sesshoumaru noticed that she kept her eyes directly where she was working. The thought made him smirk, she was not the seductress she fancied herself to be.

He could hear her gasp and her heart rate pick up when she began his thighs and Sesshoumaru hat to close his eyes and concentrate on not becoming aroused. Her arm brushed against him and he bit his lower lip, the scent of his blood alarmed Rin. She checked his body but saw none. "My Lord?" She said looking to him. He opened his eyes and watched her near him, then she licked the thin stream that had leaked down his chin from the corner of his lips. She placed a hand on his neck and licked the same place again. He captured her lips with his and her hand trailed down his neck across his chest, below his hip line, and then trace his sides. He turned his head away from her, shamed by his lack of self control but her hand sank in his hair and she pulled him back toward her.

Sesshoumaru blinked at her. Had she just pulled his hair? But he had not time to reprimand her. She kissed him, mimicking his movements against his lips. Her tongue snuck out and licked along his lower lip. He growled and grabbed her shoulders. "Rin." He bit out through his teeth, warning her. But she trailed her claws up his side and his eyes fluttered, his body moving unconsciously under her hand. She ran her hand up his back until she got to the nape of his neck and she let her hand sink into his thick hair. She pulled lightly and he let her, his eyes at half mast and connected to hers. She licked up his neck to his ear and let her teeth run over the edge. His chest vibrated with a low groan and Rin could hear her own blood pumping in her ears. She pressed her chest against his, her leg against his and she pushed him back to lie against the floor.

Footfalls could be heard approaching the door and Rin growled. A knock sounded, "Lady Rin?"

She growled louder, her head snapped toward the door. "Did I not order you from here?"

"Yes my Lady, but-"

"Then leave."

"My Lady th-"

"Speak again and they will be the last words you ever utter." A squeak was heard and Rin could hear the maids clothing as she bowed and rushed from there. She looked back to her Lord who stared at her with a mildly amused expression. She sighed and blinked slowly. "Come my Lord, let me rinse you." She pulled her hand from his hair and reached for the large bowl, dipping it into the water. She poured slowly from his neck down the rest of his body. She sat him up and kneeled behind him, pouring water over his head and began to wash his long hair. She rinsed his hair repeatedly and combed through it with her fingers. She stood and draped a long dark robe on. "Wait here my Lord and I will fetch a towel and fresh clothes for you." Rin didn't bother to ring her hair out and dripped all the way down the corridor to her master's room. She went to his closet and looked at the many folded on open shelves that reached all the way to the ceiling. She bypassed them all and selected a large robe white with red only on the sleeves and bottom. She went to his dresser and selected a long pin.

When she returned he had not moved an inch. He silently watched her as she stood him up and dried his hair and then his body. She dressed him tying his obi loosely around his robe. The robe draped slightly on him and he wondered if she knew that it was his fathers. She pinned his hair up and led him back to his room. She sat him on his bed and he simply looked up at her. He supposed he had let her control him so far and waited but Rin lowered her eyes and bowed low. She turned to leave and he caught her wrist and yanked her back toward him. She fell on him clumsily and looked up into his eyes. "Thank you." He said softly.

"Of course, my Lord." She nearly whispered. He touched his lips to hers softly and watched her. In her eyes he saw everything he had always seen. He knew she would not use this against him, he knew she would not try to control him and he trusted her.

He turned them and covered her with his body and slid his nose into her neck and smirked when he heard the breath leave her body. "What is it you want, Rin?" He whispered into her ear, letting his tongue snake out and run along the rim of her ear. His hand found her waist and he pressed her into the bed. The scent of her desire was strong and he rumbled deep in his chest. She whimpered as his claws scratched right through the material of her robe to prick her skin. She instinctively pushed against his body and he pressed harder, growling a warning. He sank his hands into her hair and pulled hard, exposing her neck fully to him. She wrapped her arms around him, her hands resting on his back and was careful to not damage his robe knowing it was his fathers. "You have not answered me." He stated plainly.

"I have always wanted you." She said boldly staring right back into the pools of liquid amber. "I am ready." She said, sensing the question in his eyes. She was young, yes, and ignorant to the methods of pleasing, but she would rather no one else to teach her. He pressed his hips into hers and her eyes widened. She could feel him hard and big against the meeting of her thighs. She accepted it, wanted it, all that was him, all that was Sesshoumaru. It didn't matter if what Kia said was right, she knew that for as long as she had been here she had never even heard of her Lord caring for someone the way he did for her. That was enough, even if it was only a temporary, fleeting show of affection, she would take it because it was him. He was all and everything to her. It didn't matter that he was not hers, she was his and if he would keep her, she would remain his for all time. "I am yours, everything is yours. It always has been."

And then he smiled. It was small but it was there, and kissed her. He moved his hips against hers and she groaned as something electric shot up her body. Scraping stomps could be heard running down the corridors. "My Lord!" Squawked Jaken. "The generals have been waiting for you!"

Sesshoumaru was up and at the door instantly. He threw it open and Jaken fell to a bow. "What generals?" He growled.

"I-I didn't mean to interrupt." The imp stuttered. "Lord Sesshoumaru when you met with Lord Zenno you ordered new armor and swords for your army. The generals are here to deliver them and need your inspection. They also have your and Lady Rin's new armor, they need to be fitted." Jaken bowed lower into the floor.

Sesshoumaru snorted and stepped to the side. "Rin, dress." He said simply and Rin was out the door, excitement for her new battle armor already her focus.

* * *

Rin was sitting on her floor, snapping her new fan open and closed while gazing at her new armor hanging on her wall. She was so happy when it was finally done, painted and all that she had actually jumped up and down. The fitting had gotten a little awkward because her breastplates had to be fit perfectly and the youkai there insisted that they were the only ones capable and they did this with only the most professional attitude. But after some staring, growling and life threatening, Rin's maids had fit her while the youkai watched. Her armor was a brilliant white just like her Lords. Sesshoumaru's seal of the West on her back was yellow with blue outlining and on his it was blue with yellow outlining. Rin's obi was wide with a large bow in front and his draped low as usual. Rin looked at her gauntlets hanging next to it. They were leather on the inside of her arm and on the outside white with large spokes and reached from her elbow to her knuckles.

A knock sounded and Kagome stepped inside. "Are you still there?" She asked with a laugh handing tea to Rin.

The girl giggled again. "I never thought I would get armor of my own! I think it was meant as a surprise but Jaken told." She looked at Kagome and could see that the girl had no idea of the significance so she just content herself to prattle about the perfection of the craftsmanship. "Lord Zenno is truly the master of metal, even Sesshoumaru-sama is impressed with the quality of work."

"Rin." Kagome said slyly.

"Yes?" She responded not even looking at the older girl.

"You're glowing."

Rin whipped to face her. "Glowing? What do you mean?"

Kagome raised the cup to her lips and observed Rin. "I mean your face is glowing. You're happy over something and it's not just the armor."

Rin looked blank for a moment but then her face gave her away with a blush. "I think it's just the armor, I never thought my Lord would give me something like this." She turned back to the wall and tried to compose herself.

Kagome stood and dragged Rin into her large closet and shut the door. "Tell me." She said simply.

"What do you mean Kagome?" Rin asked grateful for the dark to hide her blush.

"Tell me what it is. Tell me why your cheeks look like they're going to pop out of your face."

Rin laughed. "You're being silly."

"Rin do not attempt to lie to me. You're horrible at it. Now tell me."

"Kagome I have nothing to tell."

"We'll just stay here then."

"I really don't know what you're talking about."

"I have all day."

"Kagome."

"And the next day too."

"There is nothing to say!"

"I can survive on little."

"You're being silly!"

"No one leaves this closet until you spill it!"

Rin gave a whine. "Kagome I really shouldn't tell you!"

"Ahh here it comes!"

"I can't, I really can't. He would be furious with me!"

"We're talking about a certain dog demon I'm assuming."

"If someone were to overhear it would create a scandal!" She whispered harshly.

"I see, so you two are having-" Rin slapped a hand over Kagome's mouth.

"Shhh! And no, we didn't, not yet."

"But you will?" Rin blushed again and nodded. Kagome laughed. "Don't worry Rin your secrets safe with us."

"Us? You cannot tell Inuyasha! He would ridicule my Lord and then he'll know I told you!"

"We had a bet. Inuyasha said by the end of last year and I said by the summer of this year. I guess he was closer."

"Well that's flattering." Rin crawled out of the closet with Kagome following.

"You know I've been getting this strange feeling." She began sipping her tea.

"Feeling? Like what?" Rin sipped her tea as well.

"Like Inuyasha has been trying to get me pregnant." Rin spit her tea up and started laughing. "No I'm serious Rin, I'm not ready for a child."

"How would you even know that?" She asked still laughing.

"Believe me, he has been more than a little earnest lately."

"How have you kept from getting pregnant so far?" Rin asked the question she had been wondering for a while.

"I have a little help from the future. But let's keep that between us."

"Then lets make a pact." Rin suggested. "We'll get pregnant together."

Kagome chuckled. "What if I get pregnant first." She raised a brow.

Rin pursed her lips and looked to the side. "Don't get pregnant first." She extended her hand and they laughed and shook on it.

* * *

Rin twisted in the air and threw another dagger at her opponent. He deflected it with his sword and now she was down to her last one. He unleashed waves of energy one after the other making it almost impossible to dodge in the air. She dove for the ground and rolled to her feet. He had cut her through her pants at the top of her right thigh, across the top of her right arm, and right cheek. "Time." Sesshoumaru called and he threw a scythe at her, bladed on both ends. Rin caught it but dropped it on the floor in front of her. She looked to her Lord in disbelief. It was by far the heaviest weapon she had ever seen. But that was how the game went. She was given a weapon and had to use it for a specific amount of time until someone lost. She was the reigning champion and she wasn't about to let some rookie general get his paws on her title.

Her opponent was known for his speed. Rin had to agree, he went so fast sometimes she lost sight of him. The general snickered, she would barely be able to defend herself let alone attack. Rin picked up the scythe and threw it straight up as hard as she could. The young one, perplexed, watched it go up and by time he turned back to her she was already in his face. She punched him right in his nose twice with each fist and then once in the stomach. She clipped him and flipped him over her shoulder then caught his ankle and slid him across the cement floor right under the falling scythe. He rolled out of the way just as the blunt end was going to crush his rib cage and possibly crush his heart. Rin cursed and could hear Inuyasha laughing.

"Time." Sesshoumaru called again and threw a long, smooth wooden rod at her. She looked at it in astonishment. What the hell was she supposed to do with this? The general was on his feet now watching her warily and Rin sighed. She threw it into the air and this time he kept his eyes on her as Rin walked until she was three feet away from him. She caught the pole and swung in into his temple sending him flying across the ground. Rin ran for him and leapt in the air. He moved just as she drove the rod down and shattered it into tiny pieces where his head was. He leapt back and Rin turned to face her Lord. He threw her another pole and Rin laughed. There was no outsmarting Sesshoumaru.

He ran for her and she used her rod to block his attack. He cut it in half and Rin threw it at his head and smacked in the knuckles with the other half. He swiped at her again and she used her rod to block. He cut it in half and Rin repeated the process. The third time he dodged and Rin swung hitting him in the head with her remaining piece. He cut at her again and she feigned like she threw her last piece and threw it just as he moved hitting him right in the head. She laughed holding her stomach and dodging his now angry swings. She could hear Inuyasha and many of the other spectators laughing as well. "Time." Sesshoumaru called throwing a stone ball a little larger than Rin's palm. Her smile disappeared and her jaw dropped, dumbfounded. The Western Lord simply smirked and Inuyasha laughed harder. Rin threw it at the hanyou who moved just in time.

She turned to face her opponent. He waited for her to make the first move and she was currently weaponless. Rin extracted the long pin she wore daily and her hair fell down her back. She held it protruding out of the backside of her fist and ran for him. As she got closer she slid between his legs and used her momentum to push onto her hands and hook her feet on his shoulders. With a push of her fingers she stood on his shoulders and sank to one knee. She clamped his head between her leg and knee and twisted herself. Within the blink of an eye had him on the floor, her hand propping her up and his head at a dangerous angle. "Do you consent?" He tried to nod or speak but couldn't. She turned slightly and he banged his hand on the ground. "Good." She flipped back three times and stuck the pin behind her ear.

"The winner and continuous champion, is Rin." Sesshoumaru stated with the rare look of being impressed on his face. Rin could hear Kagome as the youkai cheered. She loved the West.

* * *

**[A/N] 5600!!! I was listening to a number of songs when I wrote this so maybe if you reread it while you listen to them you'll get a sexier feel!**

**  
Sexual Seduction – Snopp Dogg. ( Lol I know a weird choice but just try it!)  
Uninvited – Alanis Morissette  
Don't Cry – Olivia Broadfield  
Samsonite Man – Alicia Keys  
Falling – Alicia Keys  
TShirt – Desiny's Child  
Feeling Good – Michael Buble**

**Okay so this is a motley group of slow songs and you might not need all of them, but listen to these with the right amount of sensual literature and you have a steamy mix! Review and tell me what ya think! **

**P.S I found a totally erotic picture of Sesshoumaru excellently drawn! It fits my characterization of him perfectly. The link is on my profile check it out and tell me what you think!!!**


	12. Failure and deadly success

**[A/N] Sorry for the delay guys. I'm going to Paris soon so I have to get ready and I prob won't be updating around then. A little tip I should give you guys is when I say the name of a specific sword of Rin's usually it coincides with a particular hand. Yijo for the right, Ijo for the left. Anyway I hope you guys enjoy!**

* * *

**Ningen Impossibilities**

**Chapter Eleven**

Rin rode Norihu, her stallion, through another Western ningen village. Sesshoumaru had sent her on patrols without him while he distributed and oversaw his armies as they readied themselves. He had left for the Eastern Lands to check Nanjo's forces and was due back two days from now. Rin, was due back to the palace by the end of the week. She rode through at a slow trot and had covered most of the West in a week and a half. She was on the Eastern side of the West, about a half day's hard ride from Inuyasha's village, when she smelled something weird. It was approaching sunset, she urged Norihu into a gallop and slowed when she started to smell camp fire. She was familiar with all the youkai dens, and routine ningen campsites. The forest she was in now was usually uninhabited. Just wishing for a better look she dismounted and walked nearer the camp. Out of instinct she kept herself hidden and tried to stay downwind.

She edged around until the coast was on her left and the unfamiliar smells were straight ahead. Rin edged toward the coast and broke the cover of the trees. A boat was docked and a number of different youkai were trying to drag it on land and cover it. Rin squinted hard at the boat. It was not made of materials found on the earth's surface, rather it was made from dark black rock found under the sea. "An Under Province ship?" Rin muttered confused. As a rule, only royalty had the luxuries of using those hard to make vessels. What was even more odd, was the youkai hauling and covering it were not water-youkai, but a motley crew of various youkai, most male a few female. Rin moved back into the trees and made her way to the campsite. As she neared it she could hear laughing and talking and she flitted up into the high branches. There were far more youkai that she had thought possible. They must have made multiple trips, the ship she saw could hold ten at the most and she was looking at almost fifty, counting the ones on the shore.

Rin was too far up to see their faces well or hear their conversations. There was a large pile of weapons covered with a large tarp toward the coast. The way they talked, and the way they looked over their shoulders told Rin that something here was not right. She was left with a few choices. She could leave and find her Lord, report this and await his instructions, but by time she came back, they could be gone. She could attack them now and try not to kill a couple so she would have something for her Lord to interrogate and find the reason behind this. Or she could try to take one to her Lord now and hope that when she got back they would be easy to find. She liked that idea most and began to scout one that would be easier to kidnap.

She swept the tendrils of her falling hair back into the tight pin she had it in. Hair could very easily give off scent in the wind. She slunk down the tree and moved to the outer rim of the campsite. The way there were drinking, someone was going to have to relieve themselves soon and then she would strike. As she moved farther down she could hear what they were saying but they spoke different dialects of their race, none were using the universal language of Nippon. The only other dialects she could speak were Kitsune, Inu and some Water. She heard some Kitsune but it was noisy to make out what they were saying. Rin closed her eyes, opened her ears, and was patient. She was rewarded as a grumble alerted her to a straggler. He was untying his pants and drinking at the same time. Rin was in luck, he was scrawny. Without thinking she jumped down and hit him twice in the neck with two fingers. She was surprised when he jolted and she cursed. He was snake-youkai, the pressure points in his body were different. But the damage was already done, he had unleashed this unearthly scream and now the others were coming.

Rin rammed her knuckles into his sternum and heard his ribs crack in half. She hauled him over her shoulder and flitted up the tree and to her stallion. The weight of the youkai slowed her a little and she whistled to Norihu. Her stallion started to run, Rin ran beside him and dumped the youkai face up on Norihu. Arrows whistled by her as she jumped on her horse and galloped all the way to the palace. It was mid morning when they arrived and Rin jumped down to give the guards their prisoner. She went to the youkai and her teeth clamped down audibly. There the snake laid, his tongue bitten clean through and blood filled his mouth. He had drowned himself. Rin swiped at his neck, fully decapitating him, and threw his skull into the large stone brocade. The guards jumped slightly but stood still. "Clean this up." She bit through and stormed into the palace to bathe. She had failed and was going to have to explain herself to Sesshoumaru. And he would not be happy.

* * *

"Why are you here?" Was the first thing he said when Rin knocked on the door of his study.

"My Lord," She bowed. "I wanted to be here when you arrived. I have information from the eastern coast. I found an Under Province ship being dragged ashore and covered, and a camp site with at least fifty youkai. All of different races and origins."

"I see." He said, his brows furrowing. "You find this suspicious." He stated. "Bring me some of those youkai, alive."

"I tried to." Rin swallowed hard and kept her eyes on the floor. "I was unsuccessful at remaining undetected and then my prisoner killed himself before I could arrive and get any information from him." When he didn't respond she looked up to see him staring at an old map on the far wall, on his face was a look of annoyance and disappointment. Rin's stomach tightened. She hated to fail her Lord. "Do you wish for me to search for them?"

"No," He finally looked at her. "I will assign that to another. The Isle trading ships are due in two days, you are to guard them until they depart. Can you handle that?" He asked his voice serious.

"Of course my Lord." Rin bowed her head and clenched her jaw. She felt like she could cry.

"You may pick five to assist you. For some reason it never fails for some fools to try to steal from me. You are dismissed. Send in Tokigechi." Rin bowed again and went to fetch the next in command after herself, Sesshoumaru's top general.

* * *

Rin's next two days were spent reliving her failure, sharpening a variety of different weapons and scouting for her pack. She had two Inus, one water, one fire and one hawk youkai. All were the best or next to the best of their division. She briefed them on their assignment and the next morning they took off running along the Western coast to the rounded bay right before Eastern land territory. The ships were in view and sailing fast. Rin counted ten, easy enough to cover. The dock workers and palace officials were already there. Once the ships docked goods would be exchanged, divided and sent to different strongholds throughout the West. Once the ships were at least fifteen miles out of the coast, they were no longer problems of the West. This process would take a week at least, as all inventory was checked and rechecked. Sesshoumaru did not tolerate incompetence.

"Lady Rin, shall we split up and take two ships each?" Said the Inu with spiky brown hair. He was wiry and quick with good instincts and a good nature.

"Not yet, we'll wait until midnight before we start our rounds. If there is to be bandits, they'll show their face if they think the palace hasn't sent anyone to guard."

"Of course." He bowed.

Rin turned to them, sitting behind her waiting for her orders. "For now split up and observe. Stick to the trees and stay hidden until I say."

They bowed and left in the blink of an eye. Rin flitted up into the trees and picked a nice sturdy branch. She sat and watched as greetings were exchanged, along with signatures and routine security checks. It was all pretty boring and Rin found herself wishing for some sort of an attack so that she may redeem herself. Midnight came and not a peep was made. She decided they would stay hidden longer and reissued orders. The next two days were slow and fruitless but her hawk-youkai alerted her to a bandit crew moving in from the Eastern Land coast. Out of sheer boredom, Rin instructed them to stay and guard the trade while she went and eradicated the entire pack by herself. She returned later that night feeling a little more relieved. They were there for the next three days and Rin could hardly wait until the ships rounded the bend into Eastern Land territory.

She raced her men to the palace and won by almost a full ten minutes. As soon as she arrived Tokigechi greeted her at the gate. "Lord Sesshoumaru orders you to restock and continue your patrol. If you come across the pack from before you are to bring their location to me." Rin wanted to tell him what he could do with those orders but because they were from her Lord she bowed low.

"Of course." She strode into the palace, hot with frustration and fury all over again.

* * *

"Rin!" The Kitsune yelled. "It's been twenty years!"

"It's been ten Shippou, your memory still needs help." Rin smiled and hugged the young fox. He was roughly a foot taller than her with bright orange hair tied in a shaggy tail. His actual tail was bushier than she remembered and swished around like a cats. His eyes were large and the exact color of freshly grown grass in the sunlight. He laughed easily and smiled wider than she remembered. They wandered down the West, Norihu walking contently next to Rin. "What are you doing in the West? Inuyasha says you stay south now."

He laughed. "That old hanyou has always been bitter since I left. I didn't think he would take it so hard since he always grumbled about me not staying there anymore. But yes, my den is in Ukaraha." He sighed dramatically. "I still have yet to find a willing mate."

Rin laughed. "Willing? Are you thinking about resorting to the unwilling?" The name pricked her memory. "How is Ukaraha?"

Shippou shrugged. "Still in unrest, though I can't say its getting any better. The people still want justice for their former lord and Deido is having a hard time deciding what to do."

Rin nodded. "I met him a while ago, Deido."

"He's a good friend of mine, near the same age as me. He wants to confront Gankanki but had no evidence. His people want war but he knows what that would lead to. Gankanki would murder his people and take his throne."

Rin frowned. "Is Gankanki so powerful?"

Shippou nodded gravely. "He has a special poisonous attack unit. They do terrible damage, and that's not even his regular army. Besides, Ukahime has better resources and richer land. Gankanki would have more fighting power in an all out war."

"What about allies?"

He laughed sarcastically. "No one really cares about the Isles enough to lend power. And no one is sure who Neidoshida favors."

Rin clapped her hands together. "Well there will be war on the main land soon."

"How do you know that?"

Rin laughed. "Never doubt me. Lord Sesshoumaru prepares himself and he never fails at sniffing out war before it comes."

Shippou laughed. "That's because he usually starts them. He gets bored, picks a fight, defeats either one country or another, leaves it leaderless and watches as the nobles fight over whoever is next in line."

Rin pursed her lips. "He hasn't done that since the last Southern Land lord."

"Yep, there's piles of bad blood there. Hibina has been ordering more darts, bows and arrows from Deido, but I didn't think about war."

Rin stopped in her tracks. "Hibina is preparing for war?"

He shrugged. "I suppose so, I mean he could just be restocking his armory."

Rin nodded and jumped on Norihu. "I must go report this."

Shippou pouted. "I'm on my way to Inuyasha's village now, but I won't stay long. Come see me again before I leave in two weeks?"

"Won't you stay for the festival?" She asked turning her horse toward the palace.

"I guess I could." He scratched his head. "I'll see you then."

Rin nodded and galloped off at full speed. Something was not sitting right. The strange pack of youkai instinctively seemed to connect itself to Hibina. But why? She knew her Lord and him were on the odds but she couldn't see what sending fifty youkai into the West would accomplish. There was nothing to spy. Sesshoumaru didn't try to even cover anything his army did. It was an inevitable, you-couldn't-do-anything-to-change-it-anyway sort of fate. She arrived a few hours later. She had finished her patrol and was just revisiting some of the smaller towns in hope of coming across those youkai again and also giving her Lord some time to forget about her foolishness. Rin bathed, changed and redid her hair before seeking her Lord. She neared his study door and could hear others speaking inside. It seemed he was in a meeting with his generals and Rin was unsure of what to do.

"Rin." He called, and stepped inside. He looked at her expectantly as did the rest of the room.

"I have news that the South prepares for war." She said simply. Murmurs broke out in the room as the youkai griped to themselves or their neighbors about this new information.

Sesshoumaru nodded slowly. "Thank you Rin, you have been most insightful."

Rin felt a silly grin trying to overtake her face but she stamped it down, bowed and turned to leave. Only when she was in the safety of her room did she giggle and let her smile free. That was just the pat on the head she needed.

* * *

Sesshoumaru rubbed his hand across his temple as Rin entered his study. It seemed all his time was spent here recently. "You are to go and escort Nanjo to the Middle Provinces for the festival." Rin bowed obediently but he could see the question in her eyes. If it was anyone else he would have dared them to question him. "Tokkigechi reports that the pack are no longer in the West which means they must be in the East. Nanjo is often careless therefore you are to escort him."

"If I encounter them again?" She asked.

"There is nothing you can do. Remember their position and report it when you see either Tokigechi or myself."

Rin nodded. "May I take the five I had before?"

Sesshoumaru raised a brow. "I hadn't thought you needed assistance."

"I most likely won't but just to be sure I would like to have them."

He nodded and gestured for her to leave and with a bow, she was gone. He hadn't seen her much in this last month and a half and a part of him was glad. She was a bigger distraction that a tsunami and right now he didn't need that. It didn't help that every night he went to sleep he thought of her on his bed, hot, open and inviting. He squeezed his eyes shut and forced himself to think about the nature of things. He had an idea of who that assorted pack belonged to, he had no idea why and how they had gotten their hands on an Under Province vessel. His spies were able to trace the snake youkai back to the Isles because of his skin markings that were the fashion there and the drink he has spilled all over himself that was common there. Which island would be hard to not only find but prove. The boat ride from one island to the other was less than half an hour.

He pulled out a map and rolled it across his wide desk. He marked the points where his informants had told him Hibina had set up perimeters. Thanks to Rin's information he had been able to find their location before the actual war. He traced the path of the pack from where Rin had reported them, to the point Tokigechi had found the remains of their pillaging one of his ningen villages. He may not favor ningens, but what was his, was his and now they were official business of the West. All he had to do was find them and tell whoever's land they were on that they belonged to him. If the leader refused to give them up then that was cause enough for a war. Which was pointless if they were in the East.

Sesshoumaru tapped his chin with his brush. It was approaching mid Spring and the festival was a week away. Rin's birthday popped up in his mind, but he forced it down. He had other things to think of. His palace was impenetrable but he wasn't comfortable leaving it for a week for the festival. He would instruct Rin to stay but he needed her to fight and didn't trust anyone else to defend his title at the moment. After Rin was a young Inu general that had fought Rin almost a month ago and since that fight, Sesshoumaru wasn't sure if he could be called on.

A knock sounded on the door. "Enter."

A wolf-youkai female opened the door and bowed. "The surviving ningen have been questioned. I will have the report for you shortly but one thing I thought you should know immediately was they remembered seeing a tall, blue female with ebony hair."

Sesshoumaru's head snapped up. "Did they recognize her?"

"No my Lord, but others believe it was the Princess."

"Do not assume." The Lord ordered. "There are thousands of blue skinned, dark haired females in the Underwater Province. False accusations are for the daft and I will not tolerate speculation. Tell Tokigechi to trace that lead and question other villages. Finish interrogating those ningen and squeeze every last piece of information from them."

The female nodded. "And afterwards?"

"Kill them, they serve no other purpose." With a bow the youkai left. Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at the map on his desk. Things were getting more complicated as time went on.

* * *

"Escort me?" Nanjo asked confused.

Rin bowed feeling silly. "Hai, my Lord ordered me to escort you to the Middle Lands for the festival. He believes you may be in danger."

He snorted. "I may be old, but I am not useless or in any way weak. That over bearing pup is insolent and arrogant at the same time."

Rin smiled at the only youkai that could get away with speaking like that to Sesshoumaru directly. "I believe he is simply worried for you Nanjo-san."

Nanjo rolled his eyes. "Yes and his means of showing affection are to send his own personal battalion."

Rin blinked. "Nanjo, it is only I and five others."

"Yes, that's what I said."

Rin smiled and followed Nanjo down the hall. Although he was rumored to be even older than Sesshoumaru's father he held the immortal beauty that was the Inu line of royalty. His light brown hair was always braided and hidden under a long sleeveless robe he always wore over his kimono. His pointed ears had bright blue crests on them and he had two that went down his neck toward his chest. Rin had no doubt that his body looked just as young as his face did. The only thing that marked his age were his light brown eyes that often made others feel he already knew the answer to the question he was asking.

"I was not planning to leave at this moment so I must hurry and pack now." He explained.

"Of course, Nanjo-san. I will wait for you on the terrace."

They left a few hours later. His belongings were slung on Norihu's back and Rin was not surprised that the old dog could keep up with them. She ran just fast enough that she could hear Norihu galloping less than fifty feet away. Her pack was spread out so only she and Nanjo ran side by side. In the air a large hawk flew ahead circling every now and then to see something interesting. By evening they were in the West and camped close to where Rin had first spotted the crew of youkai before. She sent her hawk to go and scout the area. He reported back within the hour that the whole site was abandoned and there was no sign of a boat. Figuring that would be the case, Rin was not surprised. They rose early and ran the whole day reaching Inuyasha's village by time the moon was high.

Inuyasha met them on the long trail that led to his home. "Rin, Nanjo, you're a little late for visiting."

"Inuyasha," Rin greeted. "You wouldn't mind if we stayed the night?"

The hanyou shrugged. "No, Kagome and I leave in the morning I guess you're going too?"

Rin nodded. "I was sent to escort Nanjo-san to the festival."

Inuyasha turned to the older Inu who walked with his hands in his sleeves and a resigned sigh in his chest. "Since when do you need protection?"

"Since that pig headed brother of yours deemed me too fragile to travel alone."

Inuyasha nodded slowly. "Right, let me run ahead and have Kagome prepare a room." He turned back to Rin. "What about the rest of your pack?"

"They'll make do." She said simply, feeling them scouting the area.

"Yeah, well can you call them off, my lands are clean." The hanyou's face was irritated.

"Of course." Rin smiled and flitted off to find them.

* * *

Sesshoumaru paced around his chamber in the Middle Province palace. He had not seen Rin in almost a week and the festival began tomorrow. He had specifically told her to arrive before nightfall and it was already late in the afternoon. He could not remember the last time he had felt worried for anything, but with Rin it was beginning to be anytime she was away. Her face came to his mind. He felt something akin to longing fill his chest. Then another picture formed itself in his head. Rin slumped on her knees with her cheek against the floor and her arms down between her knees. The back of her kimono was torn down the middle to expose the skin of her back and her lovely mounds of flesh. Sesshoumaru exhaled hard, he wanted her. He could feel himself stiffening at the pictures of her going through his head and he went to the window in an attempt to eradicate her from his mind.

Footsteps were running down the hall and Rin called before she even got to the door. "My Lord, I have arrived."

Sesshoumaru had the door open, Rin inside and against a wall before the girl could blink. He slammed the door shut and wrapped his hand around the back of her neck, kissing her so deeply the breath was pushed from her. He lifted her easily and threw her on the bed, covering her with his body as he kissed like he was trying to consume her. Rin pushed and flipped them, bringing them close to the edge of the bed. She pulled at his shirts exposing his chest and tore her mouth from his. She attacked his neck, letting her slightly sharper teeth graze his skin and her hands roamed his chest leaving thin red lines. Sesshoumaru rolled them again and they fell to the floor. He sank his hands into her hair and pulled her off of him, his other hand pulled and ripped her kimono off her shoulder. He licked and bit her shoulder and then her neck, while she maneuvered her hands into his shirts and onto his back, pulling him closer into herself.

Heavy booted footsteps made their way down the hall and Rin froze. She had forgotten to tell her Lord that Nanjo had wanted to speak to him. "Oi pup, you forgo greeting me, so you can," He paused for a dramatic effect. "greet you ward? You lose more respect every day." He was right outside the door now. Rin sat up and pulled the pins from her hair out, trying to cover her exposed shoulder and disheveled appearance. Sesshoumaru stood and fixed his clothing while Rin excused herself. She opened the door and kept her gaze down as she passed a snickering Nanjo. "Uh, Rin." He called. She looked back toward him and he held up a piece of material hanging off her arm. With a deep blush she yanked it off and muttered a 'thank you' while walking as fast as she could. Nanjo stepped into Sesshoumaru's room.

"You find new ways to irritate me." The annoyed, younger Inu began.

Nanjo smiled wide. "Yes, well I could say the same. Would you care to explain why I was chaperoned here by your personal killer?"

The Western Lord sighed silently. His mentor could be exasperating. Why couldn't he just accept his kindness? "There is a band of youkai around your land, I am not sure what they are there for or why so I had Rin escort you."

"This band of youkai are dangerous I am assuming. So I'll have my generals dispose of them."

"No," Sesshoumaru interrupted. "they belong to the West now. They plundered my ningen village so they belong to me now. I want to know why they docked on my land in an Underwater Province vessel."

"That's impossible unless there was an Under noble with them."

Sesshoumaru nodded. "Survivors say they saw a tall blue woman with ebony hair."

"There is no such things as blue women. That was a water-youkai female, but almost all of them have ebony hair."

"I have youkai following that lead already. I need to know why an Underwater noble would dock unofficially on my lands and bring a crew of youkai with her."

"And Rin, will she be escorting me back?"

Sesshoumaru barely held from rolling his eyes. "No Nanjo, she won't."

The older Inu shrugged and edge toward the door. "Would you like for me to call her back so you two can finish…talking?" He ducked out of the room as Tensaiga stuck into the hard wooden shoji door.

* * *

Rin stood behind her Lord, as was custom of the champion, dressed in the fitting black clothes of a taijiya. She had sturdy pelt boots that reached the tops of her knees, her bottoms were cut along the tops of her thighs, she wore her obi of the same pattern as her Lord and all of her torso was covered. She had forgone wearing Hibina's gifts and instead sported the gauntlets from her armor. Her eyes slid to the right and she assessed Hibina. He wore a lazy smile and looked at ease as usual. It was hard to believe she had thought him in some sort of conspiracy. She chided herself for becoming paranoid. Tokigechi and another general stood a few feet behind her, also summoned by the Lord of the West. No one was really sure who he was going to chose to fight for him in the tournament. The host sounded a horn and the noisy cheering came to a halt. He announced that it was time to start the tournament, called each Lord by name and they said the name of their champion. Sesshoumaru, being the defending victor was last to call his fighter. He was silent a moment while everyone waited. Finally he waved his hand and Rin jumped over him to fall fifty feet down to the ring. She thought she could hear a collective sigh and her eyes honed on two youkai in particular. One was the slender, shaggy haired wolf-youkai and the other was a lithe water-youkai that Rin recognized as one of Kia's personal guards. The wolf-youkai held a large, thin sword that looked like it could reach her shoulder standin on its own. The water-youkai held a coiled whip around her arm and daggers along her sides. "Rin, you may spare those willing to surrender." Sesshoumaru stated.

"Of course my Lord." She closed her eyes, knelt and placed her hand on the ground below her. The host rang the gong and youkai, learning from last year, began to fight amongst themselves. One tried to swipe at Rin with a spear and she leapt back up the landing where the Lords watched, seeing that trying to push through the fighting youkai was not necessary, and walked along the edge until she was near the general from the North. She knelt, feet far apart with one hand bracing herself and another behind her ready to unsheathe Ijo. Her adrenaline pumped hard throughout her being and she gazed at the wolf while he gazed back at her. He started for her, killing another youkai in his way without pausing for a moment, then began up the wall to get to the top. Rin slid down to meet him and their blades locked. He gave a shove, sending her upwards, and began sending energy waves, one after another as she blocked with Ijo. They exploded as they hit her sword causing a large cloud of smoke to conceal her. The stadium became eerily quiet and Rin laughed at their stupidity.

Rin heard daggers piercing the air but was unable to determine where. She let herself fall back to the ledge, two daggers stuck in her thigh and shoulder. She pulled them out and looked at them, it was the first time she had shed blood in the ring. She eyed her opponents, it looked as if they had killed the other contestants so now it was only three. The other female leaned against a wall looking bored. Rin threw the daggers back and her fingers flashed out to catch them. Rin leapt lightly to the tall water-youkai, landing only a few feet away so that she didn't have to look up. "Tell me, are you going to interrupt? Or would you rather fight me with the help of the wolf?'

She snorted. "I won't interrupt." She said with a flick of her short black hair. Rin nodded flipping backward quickly and slicing at the general. He blocked and parried and the two cut at each other increasing the pace every second. He pushed her back almost ten feet with his blade and ran for her. Rin ran backward until she hit the wall and she abruptly changed directions and ran along the wall horizontally. She stopped and sank her claws into the stone, hanging there as he assessed her.

"Why don't you unsheathe your other sword?" He asked twirling his as he strode toward her.

"I don't need Yijo, not right now. Though he does get upset when he is ignored during a fight." She said lightly. She liked this guy and hoped she wouldn't have to kill him.

He leapt up to chop at her and Rin met him in the air. She miscalculated the force of his swing and he pushed her back against the wall. She moved in time to avoid the point of his weapon in her eye. He was fast, much faster that she was used to fighting if it want her Lord. She adjusted her presumptions and began moving quicker. His sword was thin and light and probably weighed less than one of hers. It allowed him to swing with a speed uncommon and change directions quickly. The length of it made it impossible to keep out of range and still be close enough to make contact. Rin was at a loss for a moment as she steadily dodged him looking for an opening. She leapt back and stood still, as did he.

"Finally met her match, did she." Zenno chuckled from the top. Sesshoumaru let his eyes slide to Zenno and he gave a short evil chuckle.

Rin stood still and thought, the general made no move to attack. Rin ran for him and jumped right inside the range of his sword. She twisted her body in the air, like an arrow from a bow, her feet slid right past his ears and he moved just enough that her claws missed his neck and opened his shoulder instead. Rin landed on her hands and spun with a flip. She cursed. "I missed." She said casually walking in a circle around the slightly stunned general. His hand went to his leaking shoulder and Rin could see him mentally processing what she had just done. She ran for him again, hoping to catch him off guard. This time he held his sword across his body to block and she landed on it lightly. Rin grabbed the blade and swung her leg out, catching him in the temple and sending him soaring across the floor. She weighed the sword and flipped it, it was lighter than she had thought but sharp enough to split a hair in half. She was impressed. She grasped the hilt and found it was a demon blade as it send shocks through her hand. Rin frowned and slammed the blade into the stone floor.

He stood there eyeing his weapon and a Rin that stood in front of it. Rin hopped and landed on his sword, her foot on either side of the hilt. She jumped and landed, driving the sword deeper into the stone. One more jump and it was fully sheathed. Even with youkai strength it was going to be very hard to pull it out. Rin took of her straps and threw her swords on the other side of the arena. He grimaced and eyed his sword. Rin chuckled at the slightly cute face he was making. She ran for him, her claws extended, and proceeded to hit him in odd places and scratch him in even odder places. He was by no means weak, but her awkward style was often an advantage to those who had never seen her fight hand to hand combat. He caught her arm and twisted it behind her, making her face away from him. With a swipe of his foot she came down hard on her knees and he grabbed her other hand. Rin chuckled, there was nothing he could do now. He needed both his hands to hold hers and any slight release, she would escape. So she waited. He seemed to have sensed his problem as well, but he didn't move.

He dug his claws into her wrists and she growled. Rin threw her weigh back against him and maneuvered her legs from under her to in front of her. She flipped backwards, twisting her joints so her arms were in front of her, but he pulled and she landed on her back in front of him. She brought her feet to his shoulders and pushed hard, making him release her. She flew forward as he hit the ground hard and she landed on her hands. She was back on her feet the same time he was and they ran at each other again, locking claws and feet as he grew accustomed to her movements. She ran and dove for his legs but he jumped, avoiding her. She hopped back to her feet but realized she had left her back to the water-youkai. Rin moved in a tight circle avoiding her whip until she was right in front of her. "I thought you weren't going to interrupt." She didn't allow the demoness any time to respond and Rin's hand went through her neck and she ripped the head off and threw it at the general's face. He caught it and threw it but Rin was suddenly right in front of him. She kicked him square in the face and his head whipped to the side. She kicked in the joint of his knee and heard his leg crack and his body began to fall. She stomped on his foot to keep it there with one of her feet, while the other kicked upward at the knee, breaking the other leg.

He didn't make a sound, his hair covering most of his face, as Rin stood above him. She flipped him over, driving her knee into his back and locking his arms behind him with one of her hands. She pulled his hair so his face was up from the ground. "Surrender." She said simply. He was silent and Rin sighed. "I don't want to kill you, you're the most fun I've had in a long time."

He snorted. "I surrender." He muttered and Rin jumped up. She extended a hand and he narrowed his eyes at her. She looked down at him with wide hazel eyes making her look like a harmless, innocent, ningen. He took her hand and she helped him up as the bones in his legs popped back in place and healed quickly. Rin collected her swords, ran and leapt in front of her Lord. He was already standing, when a sound like a dagger came from behind her. Rin looked quickly but it landed several feet under her, when she turned back toward her Lord two darts landed in the front of her neck. Rin clamped her mouth shut as pain over took her immediately. She was conscious of falling backwards, her vision blackening. She didn't know why, or how, but she saw his face, his eyes burning red with fury and then it was dark.

* * *

**[A/N] Only 6300, not as much as last Chappi I think, but I had a lot going on this week. Anywho don't expect any updates from the 22****nd**** to around the beginning of September. If I can get some writing in between Paris and the start of another school year, it won't be enough to fill a Chappi for a while. I'm a senior this year so I'll be really busy and I don't foresee this fic ending until maybe November. Well please review and tell me what you think!**

**P.S. I was thinking of naming the 'general' but I need suggestions. The most creative and awesome sounding will win!! Take his origins into account, his Lord's name is Rumaji Zenno, not sure if that will help. . Thnx!**


	13. His war, his mistress

**[A/N] Congrats to Akulku with the awesome inspiration for my general's name! I altered it a bit, but I must say, as soon as I pronounced the name she suggested, I knew I had to have his name sound like that.**

* * *

**Ningen Impossibilities**

**Chapter Twelve**

Sesshoumaru stared at the darts in her neck and her wide hazel eyes. Time seemed to slow as she began to fall backwards. He didn't know why it took him so long to move, but he leapt and caught her. Rage was simmering below his skin, a rage he hadn't felt since Inuyasha took the Tetsaiga from him. Without thinking he handed Rin to Nanjo, his eyes on the direction of the assassins, a bloody red as he pushed the dog in him down. It felt like chocking on raw power when he so desperately wanted to howl and destroy everything in his path. How dare they. How dare they think they could land one finger on what was his! She was…irreplaceable. Sesshoumaru clenched his teeth, his own thoughts annoying him greatly.

His head snapped to Tokigechi. "Ready the West to destroy the South." He bit through steadily increasing fangs. A hand went on his shoulder and he could feel Nanjo's calming presence, he closed his eyes.

Hibina was on his feet immediately, other youkai Lords doing the same. "Why are you waging war against me?" He said with increasing innocence in his face. Sesshoumaru desperately wanted to rip it off. " Your Lady's assault had nothing to do with me!"

He broke. Sesshoumaru had his poisoned claws around the hi-youkai's neck before Hibina could blink. "Sesshoumaru!" Nanjo yelled being unable to stop him in time.

The Lord of the West neared his face to Hibina's. "I will not kill you right now." He said slowly as if it pained him, his eyes burning a bright red that resembled Hibina's, save the small blue pupil shaking in the center. "But I will destroy you and everything of yours, Hibina." He threw Hibina back away from him. "Including all who stand with you." His eyes purposefully met those of the Isle Lords.

Nanjo was already running toward Inuyasha. He laid Rin on the ground near the arena and Kagome held her hands over the fallen female's chest, they glowed a bright pink as she frowned in concentration. Sesshoumaru began to pace wondering what he could kill at the moment. "It's gone straight to her heart." Kagome said shaking her head slowly. "I don't know what I can do, you have perhaps less than an a few hours. If her heart continues to slow at this rate she'll be dead by sunset." The Lord stopped moving and simply stared at Kagome. The ningen pursed her lips. "I could save her, but you have to trust me." He nodded briskly without a ward, he didn't trust himself to speak. She stood and Inuyasha grabbed her. "To the Bone Eater." She said softly and Inuyasha simply nodded not knowing anything that would help.

Sesshoumaru took Rin and followed closely behind. Even at full speed, his brother being frustratingly, slightly slower, they reached the West almost two hours later. All were soaked from crossing the raging river in an effort to cut down time. When they reached the well Inuyasha fastened his hand over the cover and pulled as the spell shocked and burned him. Finally he had it over enough and Kagome took Rin in her arms and jumped inside. Sesshoumaru followed her with his eyes but near the bottom she completely disappeared. He had always known that Kagome came from a different time, but this was the first time he had ever seen her portal. Inuyasha was crouched holding his scaled hand and arm. He leaned against the well with a grunt and closed his eyes.

Sesshoumaru paced around the well before sitting a few feet away near a tree. From there he could see the charred black that was Inuyasha's hand as it healed itself. He hadn't thought about it then. "Why was your hand burned?"

Inuyasha tried to close it and winced. "Kagome closed the well but she didn't seal it. The spell kicked my ass but the well still works." His body spasmed a little and he slipped from sitting to fall onto his side. "Just has a few side effects." He bit through his teeth as the energy sparks running through him continued their rampage. He clenched his jaw, unsure of how long this was going to take to go away. He would have to grab the damn thing to close it again.

"You're going to be in the middle of a war." Sesshoumaru stated, his blood boiling again. If he knew anything, Nanjo was on his way to the West to oversee what Sesshoumaru had told Tokigechi. The only problem with that old dog, was that he still fought wars like his father, which was far too noble. No Sesshoumaru was going to destroy the South by burning it all to the ground. Having the land full of hi-youkai only made it more convenient.

Inuyasha snorted. "Not on my lands." He grunted in pain and clenched his arm to his chest.

It was well into night when Kagome returned. She was hauled up and landed to blink at Sesshoumaru who eyed her empty handed-ness. "Rin is alive and is being treated but she'll be there for a few days. I'm on my way back I just thought I'd tell you." She looked around for Inuyasha to find him on the floor in the same position from earlier. She cursed and ran for him, turning him on his back. His eyes were white and his body shook every now and then. His teeth had run up into this gums and his mouth leaked blood feely. She placed her hands on his chest and chanted for what seemed like forever. Slowly the spell receded and Kagome took the energy into herself. Inuyasha laid unconscious and Kagome stood again, slightly wobbly form a power high. She grasped the lip of the well. "Take care of him please." And then she was back in.

* * *

Hibina grimaced and tried to keep his voice pleasant. "Do you think cancelling the festival is really necessary? Lord Sesshoumaru is but one Lord and many of us have traveled far to get here."

Lord Sashine nodded and Yosai covered her face with her fan. Right now she was using all her strength to keep her hand from shaking. She was worried sick; she knew Rin was strong, but she had seen, right before her own eyes, those darts pierce her right in her neck. She had looked dead before they took her. The remaining Lords were in the main hall discussing, more like fretting, over the remainder of the festival. Lord Sashine nodded and offered a sheepish smile. "The truth is, our relationship with not only Lord Sesshoumaru, but the West, is on a very good note. I would not want it to seem disrespectful to him or young Lady Rin by continuing festivities when she has just had an assassination attempt. Surely you understand Lord Hibina? You are all welcome to stay until we hear word that Lady Rin is indeed alive and well. We will continue the festival at that time."

Nanjo stood and bowed. "I thank you on his behalf." He went for the door consciously aware that he was next to wholly unguarded, besides the lone general left to accompany him back to the West. "I need to get to the West, I hope you will all excuse me." He bowed at the door and left.

Gankanki snorted. "Lord Sashine, this sounds like you fear him." Hibina nodded.

Zenno shook his head. "It sounds like he is making a wise decision. Sesshoumaru is not to be taken lightly. Especially since he has all but officially declared war on the South and all its supporters. That would be you too Gankanki, and most of the Isles."

Jube shook his head. "No, the West has my support." His redheaded Kitsune nodded in agreement and Jube was glad Shippou had decided to stay. Gankanki glared at him sideways but Jube held his ground.

Lord Sashine sighed. "The Middle Provinces will not take part in any war, no matters whose it is."

"Neither will the North." Zenno echoed.

Hibina laughed sarcastically. "And yet you make Sesshoumaru's weapons like a good little dog." He spat, acid coating his voice.

"My lands are mountainous and full of metal. I make weapons, it is what I do. I was commissioned by your uncle in the last war, or do you forget Hibina?"

Lord Sashine interjected. "Well hopefully Lord Sesshoumaru can be persuaded to abate the war. He has yet to make an official declaration and I know that Lord Nanjo does not favor war. I would think he is most likely going to advise him to find the assassins before rushing into destruction."

Shippou shook his head. "You don't know Sesshoumaru. He will most definitely crush the South before he even thinks about those assassins again."

Hibina's head whipped toward him. "And how would a commoner like yourself know what Sesshoumaru would do?"

Shippou fixed his gaze to Hibina's in defiance. "I spent the better half of my life fighting with him that's why. You think those tales of him and Inuyasha fighting all over Nippon are false? And everyone with sense knows he has been looking for a reason to crush you." He smiled wide. "I would not have been surprised if he had declared war because you coughed wrong."

Hibina was on his feet growling in a flash. Lord Sashine stood. "Lord Hibina, please keep things peaceful." His face slid into a grimace, his eyes still connected to Shippou's.

"Of course," The Southern Lord said through clenched teeth. "My apologies, Lord Sashine." Sashine nodded.

Zenno stood. "Either way I see it, those who are prudent and stay the hell out of Sesshoumaru's path, tend to have longer periods of piece." His top general, Jikagoe, chuckled along with him. He stood with his master, his body still injured from his battle with Rin just twenty-four hours ago. "I offer to stay, Lord Sashine, and perhaps order will come back once Lady Rin has." He turned toward the door. "Alive." He added and the two left.

Shippou discretely pulled at the sleeve of Jube and the snake-youkai bent his head slightly toward him. "We should leave now." With a nod, Jube stood.

"Lord Sashine, I offer to stay as well. May peace come back with Lady Rin." He bowed and Shippou stood, bowed and followed suit.

Lord Sashine nodded and stood, addressing the remaining Lord Gankanki, Hibina, Neidoshida and Kian. The underwater King had been silent thus far offering to input or opinion of the matter. "Then let us retire, we have all been up since last morning. I will hold a small banquet in honor of my guests tonight and then I will leave you all to yourselves." Lady Sashine stood and bowed as did her husband and they left as well.

Hibina stood and turned his eyes to the hawk-youkai Lord of Ukaseisho Isle. "Where do you stand Neidoshida?"

Neidoshida stood with his three guards and sighed, running his heavily clawed fingers through his short spiky white and golden hair. He fixed his yellow eyes with Hibina's red ones. "You know I have pledge my allegiance with the South for as long as your blood runs through the throne." He spoke in his subdued baritone. He was often silent and spoke less than even Sesshoumaru, who tended to opt glaring over verbal communication.

Hibina fixed his eyes on the Underwater King. He looked faraway in his own problems and Hibina could guess why. "King Kian, where do you stand in this upcoming war?" He asked straightforward.

Kian seemed to come from his world and looked to Hibina. "The Underwater province rarely gets into the ground wars. I don't see why I would involve my people in this one." He rose with the air of indifference. "The last ground war I was in, Seijimaru was expanding the West by taking over the Middle and Northern lands. That was over 700 years ago." He was out of the door with his guards on his heels, no bowing and protocol gone.

Hibina looked at what seemed his only two allies. He supposed it made the playing field even. If everyone did as they said, that left Sesshoumaru with his only active ally being the Eastern Lands, known for not being compatible with war, and tiny Ukaraha with its novice leader Jube Deido. Then Hibina with his army being second to only Sesshoumaru, with his allies Gankanki who had an expert poisonous special attack unit, and Neidoshida whose entire army consisted of different foul typed youkai that could fly. Hibina stood and went for the door, his Kitsune Juno following him. "It seems war is inevitable. I suggest we all send word to ready ourselves and stay here just to observe everyone else. It gives the appearance of good faith." Neidoshida and Gankanki stood and followed him out.

* * *

Rin was aware of a burning, god it hurt behind her eyes. She opened them slowly trying to adjust. The sun had never been this bright or this close. She tried to move her head and her neck erupted in flames of pain. She gurgled through something stuck into her mouth. Whatever it was reached all the way into her throat. A hand warmed her shoulder and she tried to concentrate on the feeling. "Rin, Rin don't worry. You are in my time, things are different here. You must stay quiet and do not mention anyone or thing. Just accept what you see. Can you do that?"

Was that where she was? She had always wondered what Kagome's time looked like but the painful light behind her eyes made her pine for the dark forests of the West. Still she nodded and hesitantly opened her eyes. There were awful points of brightness on the ceiling. She focused on Kagome's face a little to her left. There were strange things adorning the wall and what looked like portraits so accurately done they captured Rin's attention. She directed her attention back to Kagome and tried to speak but her throat clenched around whatever was there. Anxiety began to fill her as her eyes widened and she reached up to dislodge it. Kagome shook her head and pushed Rin's hands back down. "Right now you need that. As soon as the poison is out of your system, your body will begin to heal naturally but right now your heart won't beat on its own." Rin's eyes got even bigger and Kagome rushed on. "Don't worry though, they're sifting through you and fixing your heart. I made sure they didn't take any of your blood but I can only watch so much. I need you to concentrate on healing Rin. The sooner you are better the sooner we can get back to the West." Kagome sighed and stroked Rin's hair. "Inuyasha tells me that in the week you have been out Sesshoumaru has already moved three entire battalions on the Eastern borders. He says Sesshoumaru won't move them any further because the Lords are all still in the Middle Provinces. Lord Sashine is trying to stall the war by insisting everyone stay, including Sesshoumaru. Inuyasha says they believe as soon as you return Sesshoumaru will call off his advances."

Rin raised a brow and slowly, yet painfully shook her head. Kagome laughed. "Yeah, I know. We just need you to get better." Rin felt her eyelids getting heavy. She nodded slowly and let herself drift into sleep. She was anxious to see her Lord and she knew healing was the only way.

* * *

Sesshoumaru sat in the tree outside his chamber in the Middle Palace provinces. He didn't know why he let Nanjo talk him into returning but here he was waiting for his brother to bring Rin back. The hanyou had come to tell him that Rin had woken up but she still needed to heal and the next time he came he would be bringing her. Sesshoumaru let out an inaudible sigh, that had been three days ago. Damn her for being his only weakness. He was still trying to fathom how she had done it. He was impenetrable in almost every right. It was embarrassing to want to see her, to want to touch her and smell her. Embarrasing to himself most of all. He was actually longing to see the once tiny, ningen girl he had found battered in a forest and had saved on a whim. He didn't know if he was glad for that day or not. Where would he be if he had not saved her, he wondered. He would not being going through these tumulus emotions he knew for sure, but he would not have known her and for that Sesshoumaru was not sure what he would rather. His indecision annoyed him. Damn her for making him feel…lonely.

He didn't understand how this could be. When he had exiled her, his constant thoughts of her treachery and his hate for her had kept him company, but now he just missed her. He sighed again and fixed his eyes on the moon. He wore his father's robe that sagged around his shoulder, over his bare chest and open legged pants. His hair was sticking to his face as he hadn't bothered to brush it since his bath and it hung on him, down his back to hang below him off the branch. He opened his ears as he stared to the sky, listening for every sound of life in the entire premises. The sounds of the ocean against the beach were relaxing as his chamber faced the shore. It was around the time of Rin's birthday. Besides the armor, revealed by Jaken's incredibly large mouth, he had another armor made entirely from scales of the wild dragons from the North and Isles. It was for more practical use because of its flexibility and fire resistance. He had planned to give it to her after the festival this year as he did every year.

Sesshoumaru bit the inside of his cheek and let his eyes dilate as his peripheral vision disappeared and the only thing he could see was the moon. He could hear running coming toward him but he didn't care enough to tear his gaze from the only thing that soothed him. That was until her scent reached his nose. His head whipped to see her in the clearing staring up at him, Inuyasha a few feet behind. He let himself fall and barely kept himself from rushing to embrace her. The thought of such a notion brought heat to his face and he thanked Kami for his face being slightly shielded, Inuyasha would not have let him live that down.

"I apologize for my inattentiveness my Lord. I should never have let those darts hit me."

Sesshoumaru 'hmmed' and before he looked back up Inuyasha had gone. Now that she was here he could feel his nerves calming, his body and mind going into the automatic role of what was 'Lord Sesshoumaru'. His aloof and impenetrable wall came back up and all of a sudden he felt ashamed for wanting her. Still he needed her within his sights. "In the morning I will announce my decision. Until then you are to sleep in my chambers until we have returned to the West."

Rin bowed low. "Of course my Lord." She followed behind him, glad to be back into her place.

* * *

Hibina made his way down the long corridors until he arrived at a large door that was Lord Sashine's study. "Enter." Suzari said casually. Hibina walked in and Suzari gestured for him to sit across from him on a small table.

Hibina crossed his legs and leaned to one side. He knew what this was about. "You called for me?"

A maid came and poured tea for the two, Suzari immediately sent her away. He held the cup up and Hibina followed as they drank together. Lord Sashine was quiet for a long moment. He let his light blue eyes fall to Hibina's. "Where is he?" He asked softly.

Hibina smiled disarmingly. "Safe. You know he enjoys the South."

Suzari's face switched instantly from peaceful to enraged. "Not when he is being held prisoner." He snarled, a harsh wind sweeping through the room.

"Believe me, he is not a prisoner." Hibina held up his hands, his shoulders high.

"Then what is he?" Suzari bit out.

Hibina let his hands drop and a smirk graced his features. "An insurance policy. You stay out of the war and Ishan will be returned to you as soon as I am Lord of the West."

Suzari donned a smirk of his own. "And if you lose this war?"

Hibina pretended to think this over, sipping from his tea cup. "Well, let's just hope I don't lose." He smiled in an entirely friendly manner while Suzari looked at him in astonishment. "I appreciate the tea Lord Sashine, but it really is late. I bid you a good night." He stood and bowed, walking toward the door.

Suzari was on his feet. "You can't be serious Hibina! If you lose what do you intend to do with my only son?"

Hibina stood on the other side of the door. "Well lets not think of morbid outcomes, positive thoughts my good friend! I will win, Ishan is assuring me that."He left Suzari Sashine to fall at his table, his hands grasping at his short, pale blue hair.

"Morbid." He whispered to himself.

* * *

The sun was barely up when a knock on Lord Sesshoumaru's door alerted Rin. She stood and fixed her slightly turned robe to answer the door, it was simply a maid but Rin blinked the sleep out and alerted her senses. She opened the door and the maid bowed. "Lady Sashine invites you to an early bath."

Rin nodded and looked back through the ante chamber. From what she heard her Lord sounded asleep, but she knew better. "Wait here."

She was back in the room, standing over her Lord. He simply looked at her. She knelt, "My Lord, may I go?" He nodded closing his eyes again and Rin relayed the message to the maid and followed her to the underground bath house that was familiar now. Yosai was there floating freely on top of the scalding water. He naked body brown against the light blue of the water and the albino white of her impossibly long hair. Rin cleared her throat and Yosai was out of the water in no time. The slightly taller female wrapped her arms around Rin, soaking her. "Rin! I am so glad you are alright! Oh Kami-sama I saw those darts hit you so fast, you looked dead when you fell off the ledge." She stood back and surveyed her. "How did you recover?"

Rin smiled. "Lady Kagome is a wonderful healer. It took a long time and I wasn't sure I would heal but I did."

"Come," Yosai pulled her toward the water and Rin pulled her obi and let her robe fall. "Its been a while since I have bathed with anyone else."

The two bathed and talked but Rin, used to Yosai's cheerful prater, was alarmed by the quiet and almost subdued sound to her voice. "Yosai what has happened while I was away? Why are you so quiet?" She asked as she ran her hands through the older females thick white mane.

She shook her head slowly. "Something is amiss and Suzari will not tell me." She turned to face Rin. "Ishan is missing, he was last seen in the South but who knows where he could be now? He may not even be in Nippon!" She covered her face, her voice muffling. "Oh Kami-sama, what if he was abducted and taken to that barbaric land in the North?" Her shoulders shook and Rin hesitantly wrapped her arms around her. She let her hand run across the smooth brown skin of her back.

"I believe he is still in Nippon." Rin said softly, her mind ringing with what Kia had said. She wouldn't be surprised if he had run off with her. "Has Lord Sashine asked Hibina about it? If he was last seen in the South, then surely Hibina knows where he is."

Yosai nodded looking more distraught. "Yes, that is what I said and Suzari promised to speak to him last night. But when he came back all he said was that Hibina had no idea where Ishan had gone."

Rin's brows furrowed. That made no sense but she didn't say so. "Yosai I truly believe Ishan is alive and well. Who would want to bring harm to him? He is well, believe me."

Yosai looked at her and Rin could tell what was coming next. "Would you find him for me? Could you bring him back to me? He is my only son and you, you can do anything."

Rin let her hands drop back into the water and she looked away. "I cannot promise that, you understand right?" The female seemed close to braking down so Rin quickly amended herself. "My Lord will most likely go to war with the South. If I am allowed in the front lines, I promise to look for Ishan as much as I can, and if I find him alive I will bring him to you the exact same way." Her hands grasped Yosai's shoulders firmly. She had never thought she would ever comfort Yosai Sashine. The woman was proud and powerful and the meaning of regal. She supposed that all had weaknesses and her son was one of them.

"Come," The older female sniffed and tried to compose herself again. "Let me wash your hair this time, it's matted."

By the time Rin returned Sesshoumaru was dressed and on the veranda. The sun was officially in the sky and it was mid morning. Rin was dressed in an elegant white kimono with two slits to the upper thighs and a mauve sleeveless outer robe. Her hair was twisted up and fell out of her pins to wave down her back and rest on her lower back. She had simple white slippers and Ijo and Yijo rested above each other on her lower back. Her Lord wore a deep blue kimono that became black around the sleeves and ankles as it cinched around his black boots. Rin sat behind him and brushed his hair which he had either forgotten or neglected on purpose.

"I will never understand why females take so long to bathe." He stated off handedly.

Rin giggled. "Females have much more delicate skin and a lot more to clean, my Lord." She responded.

He snorted. "That is one of the oldest excuses I know."

Rin smiled but sighed soon after. "My Lord I have promised something." He turned to her. "Apparently Ishan has gone missing and Lady Sashine asked me to find her son," his eyes narrowed and she hurried on. "I told her I could not promise anything, but If I was sent to the front lines, I would do all I could to find him alive and bring him back."

Sesshoumaru looked at her for a moment. "That was not your place to promise anything."

Rin bowed, her hands in front of her, her forehead touching the floor. "Forgive me my Lord, I do not mean to upset you so soon after I have just come back. It was the sentimentality that made me think I could do something for her."

Sesshoumaru turned again, Rin's cue to continue to brush his hair. "Either way, it was foolish of them to let him follow such a predictable pattern. Any fool with eyes could predict where he was going and kill him."

Rin sighed. Leave it to her Lord to skip any potential he had of being alive. "Hopefully I can find him alive." She tried.

"Finding that fool is not your priority." He spat.

"Of course my Lord." Rin replied finishing his hair.

He stood. "Come." And led them down the corridor to the large chamber. When they entered the room Rin's eyes caught Hibina as he turned and his face seemed to scrunch into disappointment. It clicked in her so fully that she was left staring at him. The bloodbringer poison, the shadow youkai, the mating dance that he had insisted was harmless, Kia's false rage against her, everything was Hibina's fault. Sesshoumaru turned to her but it was too late.

"You traitorous bastard!" She was running Ijo through the spot he was in, but he was gone. Rin moved fast, swinging with near misses, but Hibina moved faster, his hands in front of him as he played like he was innocent.

"Lady Rin!" Lord Sashine yelled at the same time Yosai called her name.

Rin growled and turned to them. "He tried to kill me, twice! He framed me against my Lord and I bet he has your son!" Her eyes were on Yosai. The female gasped and stood she turned her eyes to her husband. But Suzari's eyes were connected with Hibina's.

"He does not." The Middle Province Lord said. "Lord Sesshoumaru please restrain your ward."

Sesshoumaru, who couldn't say he wasn't enjoying watching her try to crush Hibina, had simply to look at her before she was behind him. "There is really no reason to continue this charade. I officially proclaim war on the Southern Lands and those who support it." He turned to leave.

"Lord Sesshoumaru." Jube stood along with Shippou. The Western Lord turned back to face him. "Please know that Ukaraha is you ally."

The Inu let his eyes rest on the snake's "Very well." He said and left the room. Rin, her eyes still connected to Hibina, sheathed Ijo with a snap. And she ran out the door and down the hall to catch up with her master.

* * *

Rin was glad to be back in the West. Their first order of business had been to deploy his forces and instruct his generals. He sent his battalions forward into Eastern territory to converge with Nanjo's forces and there they were to await orders. He sent a battalion to his perimeters facing the Middle, North and farther down against the ocean. Rin had been present in his meeting and was ordered to accompany him to the front lines in a couple of days. After the meeting Rin had no idea where he Lord had disappeared to. She was walking down the large corridors to the bath house, two maids following her, when she smelled him. She stopped short and ordered the maids away. They put their utensils on the floor and left. Rin retrieved them and walked into the bath. He was sitting on one of the ledges underwater. Rin could tell by the mass of silver floating on top. When he surfaced Rin was gazing at him from the other side of the large spring.

She set down her items and undressed. She let her hair down and sank down into the water slowly, fully aware of his eyes on her. She let herself slip underwater and enjoyed the heat as it permeated her skin. When she surfaced he was where she had left him. She swam around casually. "My Lord, how far down does the spring go?" She asked.

"I don't know." She was closer to him now and he was restraining himself.

She turned to face him. "Have you bathed already?" She asked innocently. He shook his head. "Would you like me to bathe you?"

"You may." He said hoisting himself out of the water and onto the ledge. Rin did the same next to him and reached over to get the liquid. Her body stretched and her hair fell to one side leaving her body exposed. Sesshoumaru let his eyes drink in the flesh of her lower back, the round of her ass, the taught skin of her thighs. She righted herself and dipped her hand into the liquid. She wasted no time rubbing the soap onto his chest and then his stomach, keeping her eyes where she worked. He placed his hand over hers and she looked up at him. He pushed her hands down his stomach, past his hip line until he had her grasping something hard and large between his legs. Rin's face erupted in color. "Wash here." He stated with a smirk as Rin stuttered and froze with shock.

His other hand found the back of her neck and he crushed his lips against her own. He pulled her down with him as he laid back against the floor, his own hand making her tighten her grip around him. He groaned softly into her lips. Rin learned quickly what brought him pleasure. She began to lick his neck and made her way up until she was at his ear. Her hand tightened on its own and she moved it up until she was at the tip. His teeth clamped down together and his body lurched. She pressed herself down on him and slid a leg over him to straddle his lower stomach, her hand behind her. She pulled her face away and brought her nose to his as she explored the part of him she had never known. She ran her thumb over the head of him, feeling the tiny slit on the tip. His hands tightened around the back of her neck and his eye widened. She licked his lower lip, her tongue snaking into his mouth and he groaned as her hand slid down the length of him to the base just to journey up again.

Rin was fascinated. In front of her, her Lord Sesshoumaru looked less than vulnerable, he looked helpless. His golden eyes were almost begging what his voice would not. She released him, her mouth still connected to his, and slid her hand down the bottom of him. Her eyes widened at what she felt but with a growl she was on her back with his fangs in the skin of her neck. She cried out and he moved her downward until his length rested on her most sensitive part. He purred into her throat as the heat of her soaked through him. Rin rolled her hips instinctively, her hands sliding into his wet hair. He captured her other hand and pulled it above her, his mouth paying homage to her neck and shoulder. She could feel her neck leaking and could smell her own blood. When he looked at her again, his mouth was stained with it and Rin licked his lips. He ground himself against her and Rin's body shook with the pleasure the pushed through her.

His claw clamped on her hip and held her down to the floor. He supported himself on his elbow, his eye connected to hers, his nose touching hers as he pushed inside of her. It hurt, oh Kami did it hurt but Rin never took her eyes from him. He yanked her down until he was fully sheathed and Rin yelled out her hand clamping around his hair. He waited as the pain subsided seconds later and Rin grew accustomed to him. He pulled slowly from her and then pushed back in. Tiny pricks of pain went through her but something wholly larger was welling in her. She arched against him her throat purring as he moved against her. He pressed her wrist into the ground harder along with her hips as she pushed herself against him in time with his movement.

With every thrust he pushed the air from her letting a mewling sound escape and the pressure inside her built into overwhelming proportions. He nudged her head to the side and she obeyed as he attacked the other side of her neck adorning he with bites and bruises. Her free hand clawed into his back retracing the same pattern over and over again. He reared up, both his hands capturing her waist and lifting her up to him and thrusting at an impossible angle. Rin's exclaims became louder as he struck something inside her. She opened the eyes she hadn't realize she had closed. His gaze was on her face, his golden eyes full of lust. One of her legs draped over his shoulder and the other hooked over his arm. Her chest moved with every push and pull and Rin let her freed hands capture them. She had only meant to hold them still but when the pad of her fingers brushed across her nipples Rin's head fell back as wave after wave of unadulterated pleasure swept her up. She let out a strangled cry, her voice catching in her throat. Whatever it was inside her exploded and the only vision she saw was the steam covered ceiling of the bath house.

She barely noticed when she was flipped to her stomach. His delicious weight settled on top of her and moaned deeply in her throat. His chest rumbled on her back "You did not ask for that Rin." He growled lightly into her ear. Her eyes widened slightly, she knew she had reached her peak without him, but she wondered if he was really upset about that. He reared her up and took her harshly. His claws sank into her and Rin gulped in air her back arching.

He grasped the back of her neck and thrust into her hard. Her voice echoed off the walls as she squirmed around. She could feel pressure building inside again. "Sesshoumaru-sama," She croaked needing him to know what he was doing to her. He pulled her hair until she was pressed against him. She wrapped her arms back around his neck and his hand slid to massage her breasts until every intake of breath was a pant and every outtake was a moan. She strained against him, her head lolled against his shoulder and he groaned into her ear. She sank her hands into his thick hair and began to move with him. Both his hands went to cup her chest as she braced herself against his thrusts, pushing back and then moving forward until he was almost out of her. Her hands clenched around fistfuls of his hair and she could feel his body jerking and his hold on her tightened, he was close, she knew.

She pushed against him, disentangling herself from him. She pushed him onto his back and mounted him. It was easy to find the place he was in before and she slid herself down onto his hard length. His gaze took her in as she sank her hands into her own hair, pulling it from her face and she moved on top of him. His eye lids fell to half mast and his mouth opened slightly as he panted. Rin moved faster against him and one of his eyes closed as he bit his lower lip. He raised his knees to support her and she braced herself on his chest. His eyes looked down to see her chest moving with every notion she made and then he could see himself disappearing into her. His arms wrapped around to press her down onto him and he took her mouth with his, moving his hips faster. He arched and tore his mouth from hers, giving a guttural moan into her neck, his body spasming against her as he reached his peak. Rin's brain rang with his sound and her body buzzed as she felt him fill her with his seed. She bucked and came right after him.

* * *

Rin awoke in his bed, his scent comforted her and she turned slightly to see him there. Rin stared at his sleeping form and quietly processed what they had done. She was now his mistress. A giddy smiled erupted on her face and she leaned down to kiss him fully. He kissed her back and when she separated from him his eyes opened slowly. He still seemed drowsy so Rin took advantage of him and snuggled herself next to him. He stiffened slightly but Rin draped herself over him in an entirely comfortable manner and closed her eyes intent on sleeping like that. He relented, his arm falling to cover her waist and Rin wondered if he could feel the happiness exuding from her.

* * *

**[A/N] I thought I would surprise you duckies with the lemon! Let this chapter be a testament of my good will! I stayed up all night on this (6800 words) and dammit, each and every one of you better review! Okay, this time I really mean it, don't expect another update until early September! **

**I will give myself a shameless plug and suggest that while I am away, you all entertain yourselves on my previous fic. It's a yaoi from Yu Yu so if you don't like that then steer clear. Do ignore the terrible writing in the earlier chapters, I was young. Lol. I'm rewriting them but that will take a while. Anywho, until next time! **


	14. The death of friendship

**[A/N] First order of business: an apology to my readers for the LONG AS HELL WAIT for that update. I don't want anyone to think this story has gone on Haitus, because it has not. Updates will just be a little farther between. But have faith! Second order: One part of my lateness has to do with my inspiration taking a drastic turn after my trip to Paris. I was inspired to write a dark and very graphic oneshot called 'Bastille du Sang'. I urge all my readers to read it and tell me what they think so at least the wait will not be for nothing. But be warned! It is EXTREMELY graphic. Well I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

**Ningen Impossibilities**

**Chapter Thirteen**

Jube Deido ran down the corridor of his burning palace. His only goal was the large doors at the end. He could hear Shippou running behind him, yelling for him to leave and he would get her, but Jube couldn't. His walls were wilting in the fire around him and the smoke was making it hard to breathe. A solider steeped into the hall from a collapsed wall, from what country, Jube couldn't tell anymore. The Lord opened his mouth, letting his natural poison eject from his throat as he scooted by the screaming youkai. He would let Shippou finish him off. Jube ran past several other soldiers, his natural speed and agility helping him greatly. He was so close, yet it seemed to take him forever to reach the doors. He had to get her, he had to save her, she was all he had left.

He threw the doors open and called her name. He couldn't smell her at all but he knew she was there. He ran through the antechamber looking through her closets as he went. As he rounded inside her inner chamber he saw her body there and his heart stopped. He shook his head, nearing her still form. This couldn't be happening again, not to him, not again. But it was there in front of him, burnt flesh and blood adorning the floor and a body almost unrecognizable save the corner of her face that displayed the light green eyes and dark brown skin he had inherited. He sank to his knees and held her dead form. She stank of the same rot that had coated his mutilated father. His body shook and subconsciously he sensed Shippou enter the room. Things were not making sense to him. She could not be dead, he had promised her, promised her that he would protect her after his father had left. He had promised her. He shook her disfigured flesh calling her name. There was no way that she was dead, he had made a promise.

Shippou pulled him by his shoulders as heat licked at them both. His palace was burning to the ground and Shippou was asking him to leave his dead mother to burn with it. He struggled but the Kitsune was stronger than him. Shippou hoisted him over his shoulder and Jube screamed and clawed to get back to her. She couldn't be dead, he had to take her with him, he had made a promise. She was looking at him and his last sight of her was her one green eye, accusing him. How could he break his promise?

* * *

Rin jumped forward and swung the zanbatoushe had borrowed from the Western armory, killing five youkai at once. Her Lord ran behind her as she literally cleared a path for him. His army followed several meters away as both Rin and Sesshoumaru charged the enemy forces. Arrows rained from above and the Western Lord moved expertly to avoid them. He had one goal: to find Hibina and kill him as quickly as possible, but as he had expected, the Southern Lord was not here. The armies clashed on Eastern land as the West tried to push them back to the South, but Sesshoumaru had to be impressed, Hibina's army was well developed. He growled, he was having to defend himself too much. He wanted nothing to do with petty foot soldiers. "Rin." He said.

She was there instantly swinging her zanbatou to kill as many as possible, as fast as possible. The challenging part of what she was doing was not defending herself or killing the enemy. It was keeping up with her Lord with a heavy ass weapon, and arrows she was dodging almost instinctively. Rin pushed forward killing another five with one swing. This was what she did, this was who she was, this was where she belonged. Rin ran forward surging in front of her Lord as she leapt and slammed the blade into the ground sending shock waves forward. She ran, jumping forward and stopping short as Sesshoumaru kept a steady pace. He could see the general leading this platoon and although Rin was clearing his way with amazing speed, she was still going slower than he wanted. "Rin, there." He commanded and the ward saw where his eyes were locked. She slid to a stop in front of him, bracing the extra long weapon as he pushed off and soared through the air like an arrow himself. He cleared over a sea of soldiers and he unsheathed Tokkijen, blasting the enemy. landing on top the blood and bones, he faced the leading general who drew his sword. Sesshoumaru could tell by the youkai's eyes that expected to die. He sheathed Tokkijen and swung his arm around him decapitating the general and the converging enemy as they tried to corner him. Sesshoumaru began moving again as arrows descended on him. He looked up with annoyance, they were too far up for him to do anything about, but someone was going to have to get rid of them.

Rin was next to him instantly destroying anything and everything within ten feet of her Lord. Sesshoumaru stood still and thought. He put his fingers in his lips and blew a shrill whistle that hurt even his own ears. Waiting a moment, he grabbed Rin's wrists and jumped to catch Au-Un's reins. He pulled the dragon up and used his whip to deflect the barrage of arrows, but they were becoming too much. "Kill them." He said simply and Rin surveyed the sky around her. There had to be at least two hundred in the air above both armies and spread wide in the sky. She dropped the heavy zanbatou and unsheathed Ijo. With a leap she was on the first one, stabbing it through the chest and running the sword down until it was nearly in half. She pushed off the body to fall onto the next one. An arrow pierced her shoulder but she barely noticed as she went from youkai to youkai.

She was stuck on a raven-youkai that was falling fast and too far from anyone else for Rin to jump. She leapt toward Sesshoumaru who, like her, was busy dispatching foul youkai. He extended his whip to coil around her gauntleted arm and swung her back up into the air. Two more arrows thumped through the parts of her thighs unprotected by her armor. She only noticed when they got caught on one of her victims armor and broke off. She pulled them free from her feeling the blood flow freely from her shoulder and thighs and retreated back to Au-Un, leding him toward Sesshoumaru who was currently falling freely. She caught his arm and pulled him on behind her at the exact same time that he swung Tokkijen and decapitated an unsuspecting hawk-youkai. He had three jagged marks that told of a meeting with some talons and his cheek bore an angry healing cut of a near miss with an arrow. She pulled Au-Un to the Western forces as she and her Lord began tearing into the enemy raining down on the West.

* * *

"I don't believe you!" Kia cried, covering her ears with her hands.

Hibina paced around her. "But it is true. She has bewitched Ishan and now she has betrayed you to your father. They are looking for you as we speak."

Kia shook her head. "Rin wouldn't – she knows that it would ruin – Rin wouldn't! She says that she does not want Ishan!"

"Look at him!" Hibina took her by the shoulders and tugged her around to see Ishan slumped against a mat on the floor. His white eyes half lidded and his body too drugged for him to fully comprehend what was going on around him. "I saved him just as she was going to steal him away! Ishan told me of your love and Rin wants it for herself. Surely you can see Kia, you can see how she is jealous of your pure love.."

Kia let this process in her mind. "Jealous of our pure love." She repeated.

"Don't you see it?" He shook her lightly. "Don't you see it in his eyes? She has bewitched him and he won't recover."

Kia's eyes filled with tears. "He won't recover? My Ishan is gone?" Her voice rose with hysteria.

"Not yet Kia." Hibina said soothingly. "There is still one way to save him." Kia's brows furrowed and her gaze dropped to the floor. "You know don't you? The only way to save your pure love, the only way to save your Ishan."

She nodded slowly. "Rin must die."

"No." he said lightly tipping her chin up so that his deep bloody eyes met with her bottomless blue pools. "You must kill Rin. Only you can do it Kia, if another kills Rin, Ishan will remain under her influence for all time, doomed to want her until his last breath."

She was beginning to shake. "No, I can't kill her. I have known her since I was so little! We-we used to play together, Rin is-was my best friend!"

"And look at how she has repaid your friendship, your loyalty! She has taken your lover from you and betrayed you to your father. She is no friend of yours Kia, she has only pretended to be." Kia huddled within herself, her hands covering her face as she shook her head. How could she? How could she kill Rin? Even when she went to confront her in the East, she had never intended to kill her, she hadn't even been really trying to hurt her. She was angry and needed somewhere to vent and she knew Rin would not be so easily injured. But killing her? Taking her life? How could she? Her frame was shaking with sobs and she could feel herself being pulled into a warm embraced. Kia sniffled and took in his scent, he was comforting. "I know that it must be so hard for you to face the truth. I'm here for you Kia, here to tell you, here to show you what is false. You see it don't you? See all the lies she has fed you, the betrayal she has offered you? You know it is what you must do. You know it is the only way to save him, to save your pure love."

"My pure love." She murmured into his chest. Yes, she had to save her pure love. She had to save Ishan.

"You must kill Rin to save your pure love, Kia. You must kill Rin."

"Kill Rin." She repeated. Yes, she had to kill Rin to save her pure love. She had to kill her best friend, who she had thought had been her best friend. All those years were lies. The rumors were true, Rin was just a monster in a ningen's body, trained by the ruthless bastard of the West. "Kill Rin." She repeated with more determination. She would kill her and save Ishan, save their pure love.

* * *

Shippou laid Jube against a tree and fell onto his back. He had never run so far so hard in his entire life. He was soaked from crossing the small river that led Southern territory into Eastern. The sun was setting but the battle, not far off, did not seem to be slowing. He was almost positive that Sesshoumaru and Rin were there but he needed to be sure. He turned his attention to his friend. The snake-youkai had not spoken since they had abandoned the palace. He sat, slumped against the tree, his light green, normally slitted eyes, wide against his brown skin. He was in shock, no doubt resurfacing the images of his parents' death over and over in his head. Shippou only had to look to see that she had been killed the same way, if not by the same person, as his father. The Kitsune sighed, they were in a tough fix and he needed to find Jube shelter. He could not, would not let Gankanki get his hands on the Ukaraha throne. He picked himself up and kneeled in front of the Isle Lord. "Jube," he called. "Jube!" Slowly the eyes slid toward him and shrank to their normal size. "Where are you?" Shippou asked.

He looked around confused as to how he had gotten there. "The South?"

"Wrong, the East. There is a battle further in and we have to get you to the Western camp, it's the only place you're safe." Shippou spoke slowly.

Jube nodded. "But how are we going to get there? Cross in the middle of a war?"

A smirk lit the kitsune's face. "Of course not, she's going to come get you. Stay here." He instructed.

"Come get me? Who?" But it was too late. Shippou disappeared. Jube paced around jumping, in spite of himself, at almost every sound. Embarrasingly he wasn't one of the more powerful or even remotely strong Lords. He was agile and a good runner with good defensive poison, that was about it. He wandered around the trunk of the tree for about almost an hour until he heard running coming toward him. He knew it was Shippou but just to be sure he readied himself to run. Shippou came to vision and right behind him Rin.

"Lord Sesshoumaru offers you his protection as an ally of the West." She spoke formally. "Follow me please." Rin turned back the way she had come and Jube looked around but Shippou was already gone. Rin was fast but he kept up with her easily. As they neared the dying skirmish Rin didn't even try to skirt around Southern troops. "Stick close to me Lord Deido." She said quickly and Jube ran right behind her. Rin dodged the fighting more than she literally cleared a path. While the night was taking over it was clear to see that both sides had dwindled, but the West had only lost a third of their men while the South had lost half. Sesshoumaru had already sent word for two more battalions to be sent as they prepared to storm the South, but the Southern warriors were proving to be more resilient than remembered and the West had not gained a mile. She escorted Jube safely to the Western camp and placed him in a tent where Shippou waited. She had no idea where her Lord was but she thought it best to find him. During a time like this it was prudent she be his shadow and follow his every move.

* * *

Sesshoumaru pulled sluggishly at the cords keeping his armor on. He was more battle weary than he remembered in a long time, but he felt good. He didn't care for sitting complacently and idling, battle always brought the best out of him. His tent opened and he knew the only person who would enter without his permission was Rin. Even Nanjo announced himself. "Here, let me help you." She took off his armor and he laid onto his bedding in exhaustion. She was the only one he would allow to see him in this state of…normalcy. It was a complicated feeling, enjoying the fact that he could relax around her and yet knowing he should not, knowing it was somehow, in some way, wrong. He turned on his side and watched as Rin twisted herself to take off her armor.

Her arms were sore from swinging random weapons since sunrise and she just couldn't seem to find the cords under the plate on her back. Hands pushed her own away as Sesshoumaru reached under her armor to unhook the cords. Rin sighed in relief as it fell away. It was not the place of a Lord to deal with his own armor, especially not another's, but Sesshoumaru had never really followed any protocol he didn't find convenient. "I have found a small stream that leads to the ocean, if you wish to bathe." During a war bathing was usually put on hold but she knew he didn't care for remaining covered in sweat, blood and grime.

"Are you planning to bathe with me?" He asked reaching for a fresh kimono and a brush.

Rin blushed slightly still not accustomed. "No my Lord." She was near the tent entrance and she was far more covered in blood and grime than him. She held a fresh robe in her hands.

"Why not?" He asked walking closer to her.

"It would be inappropriate." She stated wanting to shove propriety into the dirt.

He nodded. "As my guard it is your duty to stay by my side." He grabbed the robe out of her hands and Rin pinked at her ignorance. Of course she could not be seen carrying clean clothes when she should not be bathing with her Lord. She was only his guard and it had to remain that way in public.

"Of course." Rin bowed and Sesshoumaru left the tent, her robe under his clothes.

The stream was a little warmer due to the weather and it stayed that way even though it was night. Sesshoumaru disrobed and submerged himself easily, grateful for water to cleanse himself. Rin perched atop a tree, listened for intruders and tried to remind herself that now was not the time to arouse herself by gazing at her naked Lord. She knew now was not the time to want her Lord and she didn't dare ask or provoke him at a time like this, she didn't think she could stand if she was denied. So she sat there and waited until her Lord had dressed. He stood with a fresh kimono on and she jumped down into the stream directly, divesting herself of clothing there. She shook her head and ran her claws through her mated hair, caked with blood and dirt and sweat.

When she surfaced, it was to find her Lord leaning against a tree right in front of her, head upward watching the stars. Like this he seemed so tangible, different from the inevitable entity that ruled the Western Land. Rin rose and walked toward him to collect her robe. Slowly his eyes met hers and traveled down her body following the paths of water as they rose over her breasts, down her torso to collect in the short dark hairs at the meeting of her thighs. She reached out and took the material from him, donning it as she began to walk back towards camp, pausing a few feet away she before falling a little behind him.

"My Lord, Jube Deido waits to hear from you. Shippou says he is still reeling slightly from his mother's murder. Apparently he has no other family to connect him to his throne. Shippou thinks challenges will come soon and he is positive Lord Deido will not be able to defend his place as Lord of Ukaraha."

Sesshoumaru mused this. "As long as he is an ally of mine, he will remain where I want him. His place is in Ukaraha, but before this war is over, I will see that it is expanded into the South."

Rin thought for a moment. "After Hibina, who is in line for the Southern throne?"

He waved his hand. "I do not care." As they returned to their tent Rin donned an outer Kimono of bright yellow and black before fetching Jube and Shippou, bringing them directly. Sesshoumaru's eyes connected with Jube, who looked more like a lost child than ever. Rin bowed and prepared to leave, but he stayed her. "Your palace has fallen and allies of the South have taken Ukaraha?" He spoke with is usual subtle power with a hint of detachment.

Deido closed his eyes momentarily. "I believe so, I was not able to stay long enough to see how long my army could have held off the enemy but, I do not believe it was long before they were defeated."

"Then you will make your camp with the West and wait until the war is through." Sesshoumaru's choice was final.

Jube bowed. "Of course, Lord Sesshoumaru."

The Western Lord turned to Shippou. "You are his general?"

The Kitsune looked to Jube, who was lost in his own thoughts. "Yes, I suppose I am."

"Then I leave it your responsibility to take him to Inuyasha and guard him there." The pair was ordered to leave before dawn.

Rin stared at her hands after they had left and she could feel the eyes of her Lord on her. Sesshoumaru watched her fiddle and furrow her brows. "You are at unrest." He said by way of asking how she was.

She was unsure If she wanted to voice her opinion. "My Lord how will we stretch ourselves to cover Ukaraha as well? There would be holes in our defense."

Her Lord stared at her for a moment and Rin felt herself flush. "Rin, Ukaraha is not a priority, simply something that will be done before the war is over." There was a long silence. "Kian has contacted me, it seems his daughter is missing." He said without care.

"Kia? She is most likely wherever Ishan is."

"I did not feel it was relevant to divulge that information. He has suspicions that she is somehow mixed in this war though he cannot figure out why, or so he has told me."

"Has he asked you to locate Kia?'

"Yes." He looked at her.

"Does that mean I shall look for her?"

"As of now, she is a higher priority than Ishan."

Rin opened her mouth and Sesshoumaru raised a brow. She closed it again, stood and bowed. "Of course my Lord." She left and alerted the guards of their vigil. She had to rest or fighting again tomorrow would be most difficult. Even now she could hear the clash of soldiers farther out. Sesshoumaru was ordering them to continue until the rested were sent to relieve them and with a new battalion due in the next day or so, it looked like the West would win this battle. But Rin could see it no other way, her Lord had never lost a war. Ever. Her tent was near enough to protect him but fat enough for peace of mind and privacy and Rin found that sleep came easy to her.

* * *

Kia raced through the thick night. It was a long way to where she needed to go but she gathered if she continued at this pace, it would be no time at all. All she had to do, was avoid the fighting and she would take care of that little traitor. Once and for all.

* * *

Suzari let his head rest against the sturdy dark wood of his enormous book case. Yosai paced up and down, idly waving her fan back and forth in an effort to calm herself. He sighed. "Yosai, love, that will not make him come any faster."

She sent him a look that could have withered the sun. "Yes. I know that."

She continued pacing and Suzari wished, not for the first time, he had just told her the truth in the first place. "Rin will be busy protecting her Lord and fighting the war. You cannot expect her to drop everything and do as you ask. Even I cannot expect that." He said solemnly, his rationale winning the desire in his heart.

Yosai exploded. "Don't you tell me what I cannot expect! If you would have just told me! If you would have just let me know where my son was, but you decided you could handle it, you decided to keep me in the dark. So now I am doing the only thing I think will help. If anyone, can find him and bring him back, it is her." She squeezed her eyes shut to stave the torrential flow of tears she knew was waiting. She had not cried yet since hearing of her son. There was a knock at the door almost a half an hour later.

Suzari sprang up. "Enter." He called, anxiety lacing his voice.

A lithe Kitsune youkai entered. He bowed before Yosai specifically. "I have the news you requested. Lady Rin assures you she will do everything in her power to see Ishan brought back to you." Lady Sashine sank against the nearest wall, her legs giving out until she was on the floor. The messenger was up immediately bracing her as Suzari stared ahead. "My Lady? Are you ill? I suggest you rest, your nerves are most likely taking a toll."

Yosai ignored the Kitsune, her eyes raising slowly to her husbands, the tears pouring. "She'll bring him back."

Suzari did not look away, his hope was tight in his throat. "She'll bring him back."

* * *

Rin polished Yijo, her mind in a whirlwind. These last two days were distracting and confusing. Every morning, in the dark before dawn, she would rise and run a large loop in search of a sign of Kia. She would dress for battle and fight all day, always keeping an eye out for Ishan. The West was thirty miles from the Southern border, a distance that could be covered in half a day. It looked as if although it was progressing slowly, the West was winning this war. She knew her Lord was upset with her, the promise she had made to Lady Yosai was of direct conflict with what he wanted her to do. She had not disobeyed him, but she was undermining him, and for that Rin was on edge. Currently he was in his tent, servants dressing him for battle since he had no desire to see Rin at the moment. For some reason, in the back of her mind it was confusing, but Rin did not feel so hurt or shocked, more aware in a sense that she was in no danger of being exiled or even dropping permanently from his good graces. Instead she readied herself to dive back into battle and prove that she was an invaluable asset to her Lord.

Sesshoumaru was leading hard. His soldiers fed from his impatience as he dispatched youkai by the droves and pushed for the border. He was determined to break Southern ground by noon and the Western forces, driven by centuries of victory, leapt forward following blindly behind the white haired dog. In front of all was Rin. Sesshoumaru could barely keep his attention on her for long at all. She seemed to be everywhere at once, ripping through the enemy at his back and on his sides. It was as if she never tired, but Sesshoumaru knew better. She pushed herself for him and for that, it was hard to stay angry at her at all. He loathed to say it but the thought was there, he had come to depend on her and if she hadn't been there, things would have been very different.

Rin was flying. Her eyes were moving just a fraction too fast for her mind. She was watching her Lord from all angles, watching herself and destroying anything that didn't have the Western seal on its breast. He was fighting, moving with methodical swiftness and an easy, yet eerie sort of grace. A spear ran for him through the thick of the crowd of soldiers and Sesshoumaru seemed not to notice. Rin was locked with another youkai, she kicked out her leg, breaking the spear in two, the broken piece still going for her Lords abdomen. But Sesshoumaru was no longer there, he pressed forward, oblivious to his near death or indifferent. Rin ran to keep up with him, more determined than ever to keep him safe. Mighty he was, but not immortal.

* * *

Hibina growled in frustration as he paced back and forth in his large roof-less throne room, letting the cool breeze try to cool his temper. They were too close, far, far too close. What the hell was that little sprite doing? Why hadn't she already killed Rin? Was she dead?

"Easy." Gankanki spoke with his gruff voice. "You are liable to cook me if you heat this place up anymore."

Hibina sighed and sat. "Yes, sorry." He said sounding anything but.

"Ukaraha will be mine soon, you can move there. They will take your palace, that much is obvious."

The reminder made Hibina grind his teeth in pure annoyance. "Yes, that is a good idea. I thank you." He made a mental note to kill Gankanki as soon as he was Lord of the West.

* * *

Kia doubled back and headed for the border. It was night, deep, deep night and she felt in her water-based blood that the moon goddess would grant her, her one request. She pushed forward running faster and soon she entered the camp. They were joyous, so sure of victory celebrating around a large fire. Kia kept low, glad that her elemental blood let her blend easily in nature. She kept her eyes and sense open until she spotted Rin. The insufferable human-turned-youkai was lounging next to her Lord, drinking something and talking earnestly, a smile on her face and her swords just out of reach. She briefly pondered attacking now but she knew that would only end badly for her. She crept around the camp finding the Lord Dog's tent and biding her time there.

Kia knelt and steadied her breathing and did not have to wait long. He waltzed in, too sure of himself and his safety and the slight hesitation was all she needed. She sprang up, both of her hands near his neck, palm up, where she commanded water to revolve there so fast that it became sharper than any sword. It would be so easy for her to flex one finger and his head would roll. She could see his golden eyes burning into hers filled with indignation and rage. But then he had always had eyes like that, she remembered that even when she was a little fledgling. "Sit," She said. "even if you killed me now it would not save you. In fact it would assure your death, the ring will contract and you will lose that one appendage that won't regenerate." He stared at her for so long she was sure he was going to be difficult until he turned and sat facing the door, his back straight and proud, and he completely silent. They both waited, Kia above him her hands frozen and her mind whirling, Sesshoumaru seething and trying to contain himself, lest he cause his own death.

It did not take long. "My Lord," could be heard right before Rin poked her head into the dark tent. She went silent with shock, the candle shaking in her hand. "Kia?" She asked stepping forward slightly.

"Stop." Kia barked and Rin seemed to see her Lord's predicament.

Her eyes flashed. "Release him." She bit through setting the candle down and flexing her claws.

Kia was still and quiet for a while. "What happened to us Rin?" She asked, catching her off guard.

Rin's eyes flickered from her Lord to Kia. "You happened. You let whoever it is convince you that I was trying to take something away from you. There is no reason for this Kia, if you just stop this I am sure Lord Sesshoumaru will forgive you. Things can go back to the way they used to be." It was clear from her Lord's face that, that was a lie.

"No I cannot. I have come for only one reason. Release Ishan from his spell."

"What?" Rin was thrown back.

"Release Ishan!" Kia yelled and the ring around Sesshoumaru's neck seemed to come closer to his skin. He didn't move a muscle or say a word.

"Kia, I do not know what you are talking about." Rin took a small step forward, her hands in front of her.

"Stay back!" She yelled. And Rin could see her distress was causing the ring to expand and contract erratically. She stepped back. "Just give me back my Ishan! He said I had to kill you, he said it was the only way but," She was crying now, but her arms were still as stone. "I don't want to. Just give him back!"

"He?" Rin asked softly.

"Hibina. He was too smart for you to fool when you had already fooled me and trapped Ishan. He saw through your plan, he tried to save Ishan!"

"Kia, Hibina is using you!" Rin tried to reason.

"Liar!" Kia shrieked in an ungodly pitch. Rin hoped it didn't alert anyone, she didn't need any distractions. "You took him, give me back my love," She growled. "or I'll take yours."

Rin could see in her mad blue eyes that no amount of reasoning would do. It hurt her deeply, but she knew, she was going to have to kill Kia. She let a thick hearty laugh bubble out. "My love?" Rin repeated sarcastically, causing both Kia and Sesshoumaru to look at her in confusion. Rin laughed again, sounding convincing even to herself. She would have to time this just right. "My love? Take him." She said with a shrug.

Kia stared at her for a moment in shocked silence. "I don't understand, you don't love him?"

"Ahh, Kia, you always were a little naïve." She sauntered forward as if Sesshoumaru's life meant little and plopped down in front of him. A twisted smirk lit her face and Sesshoumaru's eyes widened considerably. "Come with me Kia," She let her claws elongate and traced the planes of her Lord's face with the pads of her fingers. "Once I become Lady of the West I will help you find a way to free your Ishan."

Kia's brows furrowed as she struggled to take in what was happening. "You want me to kill him?" She asked.

Rin shrugged again and inside her heart dropped to her stomach as his face showed his feelings of betrayal. "Or I could kill him." She snaked her claws around her neck and Kia widened the ring to accommodate her. Rin pressed herself further until her body touched his, her arms around his neck and the ring wide enough to fit both her arms. "Besides, it would be so much more satisfying if I did it."

Kia shook her head slightly. "I still don't understand. All those years, you truly seemed to love him."

Rin chuckled. "And you won't understand." She gazed up at her friend and moved her arm with such swiftness that Kia never actually knew what happened. Rin, feeling the easiness of her claws cleaving through Kia's neck, wrapped her hands around her Lord's just as the ring contracted. She pushed her youki into her hands, trying to break the ring before it cut through her but once it was in her skin the pain made it hard to concentrate. Rin was unused to tapping into her demonic energy, she had never really had to before. Rin felt the water bite into her bone and she slumped against her Lord her world fading in and out but her will keeping the water from slicing through her hands and decapitating him.

She felt warmth around her upper arms and opened her eyes to see his bore into hers. Rin seemed to remember why she was enduring this anyway. It was for him, everything was for him and if there was ever a time he needed her it was now. His eyes, only his eyes begged her to be strong. She bit her lip, unlocking her fingers as she pushed outward. The pain was unbelievable as it sensations of having her hand slowly cleaved apart ran up and down her spine. She closed her eyes and she saw his face, memories, far too many memories of him. How could she let him die?

Rin yanked her hands back, breaking the ring and the force of it driving her to her feet. She stumbled back; her hands clutched in her stomach as she doubled over and sank to the floor trying to get a hold of the pain racking her body. She could feel her body trying to heal itself but it wasn't happening fast enough. Suddenly his arms were around her and her palms were being dragged from the sanctuary of her stomach. She let her lids flutter open and gasped as his tongue licked at her deep wounds and she felt odd drops of moisture fall onto her face and neck. She remembered as she sank into unconsciousness, his eyes being more golden than ever before, and curiously bright.

* * *

**[A/N] Read and Review!!**


	15. Ending the war

**[A/N] Okay Fourteenth up and running! I already have fifteen on the way. Hopefully I can get it up faster. Lol. No sexual innuendo intended. There is some lemony goodness in this chappi so Enjoy! **

* * *

**Ningen Impossibilities**

**Chapter Fourteen**

Kian gazed out of his large window up to the surface as a school of fish swam by. A messenger was coming and he was expected to receive him in the main hall. It was a young water youkai with a sharp face and in his eyes Kian could see absolutely no loyalty for his own people, just an irrational loyalty to the West that Kian often found in slaves. He was accompanied by three others; an amphibious snake youkai, another water youkai, and an air youkai doing a fabulous job holding his breath. They marched in and Kian could tell by the solemnity of their faces it was not good news Sesshoumaru was bringing him.

"I have an urgent message for the Kings ears only." The native language was clear. Kian waved his hands and his subjects left the room. He looked to the remaining guards but the messenger made no move to dismiss them. And then the young youkai opened his mouth and proceeded to tell what he had committed to memory. "I regret to inform you, Princess Kia was killed two days ago. She attempted to hold Lord Sesshoumaru hostage for information pertaining to her lover, Lord Ishan, when Lady Rin dispatched her. The West sends its sincerest regards and Lord Sesshoumaru asks that you send a trusted subject to collect her remains."

Kian blinked swiftly, as swiftly as one could underwater. His daughter? Killed? By young Rin? For what? None of this was making any sense. He had just seen Kia not too long ago, he had told her she was to stay underwater until he returned and she had run off. It was not the first time she had done that but she always came home. How could Sesshoumaru have allowed this to happen? Kian sat still and unmoving for a long while. The air youkai disappeared for a while and came back all before he had moved or made any notion to have just understood what was told to him. Finally he spoke. "What did you just say?"

The messenger seemed to have anticipated this so he tried to restate it. "Princess Kia has been killed for an attempt on Lord Sesshoumaru's life. It appears that she wanted information about her lover, Lord Ishan, and was threatening our Lord when Rin dispatched her."

Kian shook his head and stood. His form moving about the water though his legs were still under the long flowing dark robes. "I do not understand. What, how did Kia…" He stopped and it seemed words were failing him. Kia was not his only child, but the last child of his late mate. His most loved child, the child he had pronounced heir. "I cannot forgive him for this." He heard himself saying before he knew he was saying it.

The messenger nodded. "The West apologizes that you see things in that manner." He bowed and took several large steps back. Within a few moments they were gone, swimming up to the shore to deliver the news to Sesshoumaru. His subjects entered again, their bodies moving the water around them.

Kian did not take his eyes off the fleeing messengers as he stared out of his window. "Kill them."

* * *

It was a sunny and curious day. Sunny because the sun was bright behind Rin's eye lids, curious because she did not smell the fresh scent of spilled blood that soaked all battle grounds. Rin tried to open her eyes and closed them immediately. The sun was bright behind her eye lids, but unbearable to her eyes. She tried to sit up but firm warm hands pushed her back down. His scent assaulted her and Rin found herself, most embarrassingly, wanting him with such fierceness that it was unsettling. She opened her eyes to see his glorious face right above hers. His eyes, captivating to the point of breathlessness. "Sesshoumaru." She heard her voice say before she could catch herself. No title, no show of respect, just his purely seductive name.

He cocked his head slightly and opted to remain quiet. She felt fine, rested, rejuvenated. She couldn't remember why she had been asleep in the very first place. But it all didn't matter as long as he was looking at her like that. She sat up slowly, subconsciously seeking his approval. He watched her and Rin noted in the back of her mind, they were in an unfamiliar room. Her brain was buzzing with him, how could one person so encompass another? It didn't matter, whatever he wanted her to do, it would be done. In this moment, in this instant, she felt invincible. "I take it you have fully recovered?" His voice flowed over her and she had to remember it was a question, and then remember what he had asked.

"Yes my Lord."

His hand rose to trace her face. "When we are alone, you may call me Sesshoumaru." He moved his hand away but Rin pressed closer to it and he kept it there. His skin was warm and dry, exuding power and his scent. Her eyes fluttered closed and a ragged breath escaped her. Her scent spiked as her want reached higher peaks.

"Yes, Sesshoumaru." She opened her eyes, tasting his raw name on her tongue. It felt so abnormal, so intimate. She felt as if she could call it over and over again. She wanted to. To connect herself to him, to touch him, to etch herself into him and say his name over and over. But all too soon he stood and held his hand for her to take.

"Come, we are in the Southern Palace. I've made camp here until you recover. We are to take Ukahime and eradicate Gankanki and all of Hibina's followers." He pulled her out of the room and down long spacious corridors until they reached the throne room. Generals waited and talked, they stood as Rin entered.

"Glad to see you recovered Lady Rin." Tokigechi bowed in polite honor.

"Thank you." Rin bowed back and as she did, she realized her Lord was still holding her hand. Now that she had noticed, it was hard to stave the heat that was rushing into her face.

"Having you missing showed us how much you mean to winning this war." He continued and the others nodded and murmured in agreement.

Rin did blush at this praise and thankfully Sesshoumaru let go of her hand to sit, with no small amount of satisfaction, in Hibina's throne. "Now, tell me what you have learned." Rin sat dutifully at her Lord's feet since there were no surrounding chairs and she did not want to sit so far from him.

Tokigechi rolled a large parchment on the open floor in front of Sesshoumaru. He pointed to various points and Rin knew she should pay attention, but she was just concentrating on not filling the entire room with her desire as her Lord's leg pressed against her back and the heat of his skin seemed to be soaking through their fabrics. As if he could tell her awareness he moved his leg slightly against her, his knee in the upper left side of her back, his foot very close to being under her. "Rin, your thoughts?" He asked out of the blue and Rin could tell from his voice he was holding in an arrogant smirk.

Rin blushed horribly and stood. "I agree." She said hurriedly not knowing how much of a fool she had just made herself. She bowed. "Excuse me my Lord." She said as she left. She needed to calm down and the playful light in his eyes was not helping.

* * *

Hibina growled and kicked Ishan in the stomach. The stupid, useless, pile of shit was puking on the floor and complaining. Here he was counting on him to be a bargaining chip, one he really needed right now, but he wasn't able to get one spy or messenger across Eastern borders and it seems Suzari was far too confident that nothing would happen to his precious only son. Well he was going to have to show him. The door opened in the sweltering Ukahime heat. Ukaraha, although under Gankanki's control was still too close to the Western camp to serve as a new base. Now all remaining forces were centered in the Isles. I would be impossible for Sesshoumaru to put one soldier on Isle soil. There simply wasn't enough room.

Neidoshida entered with Gankanki in tow, neither looked happy. Neidoshida stopped right in front of Hibina, his eyes dropping to Ishan for a moment before filling with disgust and reconnecting with Hibina. A few feathered friends followed in as well and filled the spacious room. "You no longer are Lord of Southern Land?"

Hibina's brows furrowed. "Of course I am."

Neidoshida shrugged. "Jube has pronounced himself the new Lord of the Southern Lands, saying you are dead and asking for fealty."

Hibina's face erupted in rage. He turned to Gankanki whose frowned only deepened. "I am most certainly still Lord of the South."

Neidoshida shrugged again and turned for the door, his guards following closely. "Our agreement and pact was that I would help you as long as your blood controlled the throne. Consider this my withdrawal."

Hibina's nerves where burning white hot as he turned to Gankanki. "I thought you disposed of him." He gritted out.

Gankanki shrugged offhandly fueling the hiyoukai's anger. "I thought so too. I guess he escaped. It does not matter; with Neidoshida out we only have to worry about two islands."

Hibina stared at him like he was an idiot. He was truly a fool. "Without Neidoshida we're missing about a third of our army!" He exploded, the temperature rising drastically.

Gankanki put his hands out in front of him to calm the stressing Hibina. "Do not worry; I will have Deido taken care of immediately."

Hibina snorted and kicked Ishan again. The demon coughed turning slightly so he could throw up, his drugged body flopping back onto the floor, his hair dragging into the vomit. Hibina turned away, disgusted. "Have him cleaned up; I'm going to need him soon."

Gankanki scrunched his face up as if he actually had to touch him. "Why?"

Hibina stalked out the room before he did something stupid like fry Gankanki to a crisp. "Time to use that bargaining chip I worked so hard to make."

* * *

"My Lord, are you absolutely certain you must accompany us?"

Sesshoumaru was dressed in all black, his hair pulled away from his face and bound tightly at his neck, making his ears look pointier than usual. He pulled his hood on and moved the flap to cover everything but his eyes. His look gave Rin all the confirmation she needed and she sighed, pulling her own dark blue hood on and covering her face. She and her team were to infiltrate the castle and assassinate the first noble they could get their hands on. Sesshoumaru was supposed to stay safely away and wait for their return, but Rin should have known her Lord wouldn't play by the rules. She looked over her team all dressed in dark garb, their swords and their back. She nodded to Sesshoumaru and they took off running at full speed in the twilight of the night. They reached the tip and used the large boulders spaced between the river to cross. By the time they reached the Ukaseisho palace it was deep into the night. Rin halted and held up her left hand, her two fingers open in a wide 'V'. She waited a moment letting the still of the night surround them as she listened for sounds. She shot her hand forward and her hawk-youkai took to the sky. They waited until he returned to continue on further.

The palace was guarded less strictly than a normal palace. To Rin this meant they either were stupid enough to think they were safe, or Neidoshida wasn't here. Rin stationed her team, here was the part where she would continue on her own but instead she was with her Lord. They ran up the side of the palace, heading for the top of the large multi story structure. They stopped at the floor below the very top. The palace was white and there stretched a large expanse to what looked like a bell tower but was Neidoshida's chamber. It would be far too noticeable to climb the outside so they hopped in one of the open expanses that were common in the Isle heat, intending to climb up from inside the palace. Sesshoumaru killed three guards with his whip through the black glove he had on his hands. The floor seemed sparsely guarded save a few and as the couple looked around for steps they came across a large opening that shot right up to the top floor. There were not steps because this passage was only intended for foul youkai.

Rin could hear Sesshoumaru snort as he calculated how high it was. Certainly out of jumping distance. Rin locked her hands and arms together and Sesshoumaru wasted no time jumping on them as Rin threw him up with all her might. He just reached it enough to grab and jump up. He was quiet for a moment until he was sure there was no imminent danger and used his whip to grab Rin and hoist her up. The acid bit through the clothes but there was nothing they could do. It was easy to find the door to Neidoshida's chamber and true to foul youkai nature, he was fast asleep in the dead of night. Rin unsheathed her sword rather loudly and his eyes popped open to find the tip pressed against his forehead. But it wasn't Rin that captured his eyes, it was Sesshoumaru standing in front of him. Even completely covered he could tell it was the strong Dog demon, from the presence, the scent, and those eyes. "Wait." He said quickly in his deep voice. "I have withdrawn from the war, I am no longer an ally of Hibina or Gankanki."

Sesshoumaru said nothing, not even seeming to have heard him. "How can we be sure?" Rin asked.

Neidoshida looked at Rin. "I do not lie."

Sesshoumaru walked over and stood still for a while, in a flash he rammed his heel into the hilt of Rin's sword, driving the weapon through Neidoshida's head and into the wall behind him. "Now we can be sure." He spoke. Rin extracted her sword, slicing it through the air, expelling the blood off her sword and on the walls around her. She followed her Lord and leapt through the window falling for a while before bouncing off the roof and landing nimbly in the surrounding the forest. They reached the shore across from Ukahime by sun rise.

"The day will be unbearably hot." Rin informed as they neared the water. The spread out for a short distance around the shore, stripped and submerged themselves in the water to wait through the day.

* * *

Hibina rolled his neck. Tonight was his last night here before he sailed around to the Middle Province shore. He planned to have Ishan pinned to the very top of the sails and parade him around the coast until Suzari acquiesced into aiding him in the war. He was restless and sleep seemed to refuse to come to him. Ishan was in his chamber as he had ordered, in the corner breathing, but barely. Hibina sat in one of the windows, gazing at the moon when something in the base of his spine tingled. Footsteps were outside his door and for an unsettling moment he was sure it was an assassin until Gankanki burst through the door. He grabbed Hibina by the shoulders looking around wildly. "We must go, we must flee." The strong scent of his blood suddenly filled the room and Hibina took a step back.

"What the hell happened Gankanki?" The moth demon opened his mouth to answer when a blade went through it and sliced upward in the most grotesque manner Hibina had ever witnessed. He came face to face with Rin as she walked forward, but soon she stepped to the side and another figure filled the door way. He barely had time to move before wicked green claws sliced right past his face. Hibina grit his teeth, this was something he had never expected. He knew Sesshoumaru would try to storm Ukahime but to come and assassinate him personally? He had underestimated him. Hibina grabbed Ishan stopping an attack and Sesshoumaru stood straight and discarded his hood and face covering.

Hibina chuckled in an almost insane sort of manner. "And here I thought you didn't care about little Ishan here." He made sure he watched Rin who was currently blocking the nearest window, with Sesshoumaru too close to the other one.

"You are disgusting, holding that child as a shield. Die with what little honor your pitiful corpse holds." Sesshoumaru spoke low and even. He stepped forward, his whip trailing behind him, seeping acid into the dark floor boards.

Hibina growled and pulled Ishan closer to his body. His captive's head lolled back, his chest heaved as his body tried to expel the poison in its system and vomit trickled down his chin. "You would kill Ishan to get to me?" He asked mockingly. "But then again I can't see why you wouldn't. You don't care for anyone or anything but what you desire. Is it not so?" Hibina made a daring step toward the window closest to Sesshoumaru. "Let me flee and I will leave Ishan and your land alone. All I ask is that you do not pursue me." Sesshoumaru snarled but made no move as Hibina inched closer to the window. "Do we have an agreement?"

"You are truly disgusting."

Hibina clinched his claws around Ishan's neck making him gag and writhe slightly. "Do we have an agreement!?"

Sesshoumaru was still as the moments went by. "We do." He said finally.

"Swear on your word." Hibina inched closer.

"I swear." He said simply and Hibina threw Ishan at him. Sesshoumaru promptly moved out of the way letting the demon fly into the floor. Hibina jumped out of the window but something pulled him back.

Rin pulled him back inside by his hair and flung the hi-youkai on the floor. His accusing eyes went to Sesshoumaru who stood by passively, his face a mask of boredom. "He swore, but I didn't." Rin explained simply as she rammed Ijo into his stomach. Hibina cried out. "That was for Kia." She pulled Ijo to the side effectively opening his body. "That was for Ishan." Her eyes glowed with fury as she rammed Yijo into his clavicle and smiled over the sickening crack of his bone. "That was for me. And for my Lord?" Hibina spat blood, his life fading fast. Rin ran Yijo upward slicing his entire head in half.

"This war is over." Sesshoumaru stated with no small amount of disgust as he watched Ishan curl into a ball and vomit yet again. "Have someone clean him, I will not journey with him smelling so repulsively." Sesshoumaru was gone, leaving Rin to stare at the shell of the youkai she knew before. Sure after he was fed and treated he would be back to normal but it was sad to see him like this. Not just for her, but her close friend Yosai as well. She sighed and bent down to move the unusually colored hair out of his face but he shuddered and began vomiting again. Rin stood quickly and went to find one of her team. She stepped over Gankanki's dead form, looking for someone else to disembowel as she felt the fury roll through her again.

* * *

Jube paced in the large throne room of what was now his Southern Palace. He took great satisfaction in ordering the maids, servants, generals and advisors to his will. He felt safe with the small militia and personal guards Sesshoumaru had left to make sure he was obeyed. Thinking realistically he supposed he should have a little less dignity than what he had now, but he didn't. He wasn't happy, but he felt safe and he felt his parents had been avenged. He was young and stupid and wise for knowing he was young and stupid. He knew he would make a great deal of mistakes if he didn't learn from older and more established rulers.

Looking around at the ornate open space he had to commend Hibina. As much of an evil bastard as he had been, his people were not oppressed and his land was not wanting. They had great agricultural economy and trade with foreign lands. Jube sighed as the generals filed in one by one, the last and highest ranked, an orange haired Kitsune that he trusted more than himself. He sighed again silently and stood fixing his face into his version of the cold expression of Sesshoumaru. Tonight he would his first meeting as ruler of this land and every move he made would be under scrutiny. He straightened his back and with one encouraging look from Shippou, he began.

* * *

Rin was glad when they were into the Western coast and off the Kami forsaken boat. It was not that she became seasick, but she would rather feel the ground beneath her feet than the untrustworthy rocking of a ship. She fell to her knees and kissed the ground as her Lord gave a graceful leap onto land. Only she was able to perceive his slight sway as he blinked rapidly and refocused his balance. Ishan was loaded out and Rin was glad to see his natural bronze color returning. He was being treated and although he was looking better, he was still deeply unconscious. Lord and Lady Sashine were on their way to the West now. News had been spread that the West had won the war before the actual battle had even ended. Of course this didn't mean much to Northern, Eastern and Middle Lands, but in the West victory was always a much celebrated holiday. The large village on the coast was already celebrating, little human children running around, music, the sweet smell of foods, women singing and men laughing as sake sloshed around from cup to cup.

Rin smiled, the West was prosperous and as much of a heartless, cruel and mean ruler Sesshoumaru was painted as, he always kept his people safe and happy. He walked through the town now, barely noticing the humans and youkai that fell to their knees around him. Rin kept directly behind him, her hands wrapped around kunais in her sleeves. The trip back up the coast to the Western Palace was a long one but not wearying at all. The moon was rising in the sky when Rin fell on her bed and groaned in delight. Two maids came and helped her to undress and redress in a light yellow yukata. Her hair was undone, combed and braided into a long plait down her back. The maids offered to massage her legs and arms but Rin waved them off and stood, another thought coming to mind.

She found him in the hall on the way to his study. It was technically inappropriate for her to be standing in front of him in nothing but a flimsy yukata and no other layers of clothing, but Rin found protocol very hard to follow around her Lord. "My Lord." She greeted with a low bow. "I thought I would come to massage you after such a long trip. Surely you would feel better suited to deal with the stress of new intelligence if you were properly relaxed?" She kept a smile from her lips, though it was fighting to come through.

His brow rose. "Rin I am very busy." He said simply, not sounding very busy at all.

"Then I will only take a moment of your time." Boldly she turned him around and pushed him back to his room. Sesshoumaru seemed almost lost as he walked in the direction his ward was pushing him. He heard her giggle and as soon as he heard his door closed he planned on turning and telling her how truly occupied his time was. His generals were expecting him at that very moment but Sesshoumaru turned to see Rin pressed against the door, her yellow yukata hanging open and suddenly it was not very important whatever his generals had to say.

He watched as she shrugged out of the garment and loosened her braid. Rin walked toward him and he was suddenly distracted by the way her breasts moved with every step she took. She crossed the floor and reached out, pulling at his hakama ties until it fell at his ankles. He was completely motionless as she circled around him and pulled the hoaris from his shoulders until they too fell to the floor in a puddle around him. She was pulling him down to lie on his stomach and Sesshoumaru wondered briefly why it was he was letting her have her way with him yet again. A groan left him before he meant it as her hands melded and molded the muscles in his lower back. She worked her way up to his shoulder then his neck, she ran her hands through his hair and let her claws rake his scalp. Her fingertips found his arms and then started down near his ankles and worked their way up his legs.

Rin stared in awe at the flawless pale skin under her fingers. To say he was soft would be incorrect, his skin was thick but smooth with ageless youth and immortal beauty. She felt it yield under her hands and the sight of his vulnerable, naked body sent giddy pleasure through her being.

He was hers.

Rin's eyes widened with shock as that though slammed into her brain and rocked back and forth across her eyes. Her fingers worked diligently to press out all the kinks in his muscles and relax his body. She could hear his breathing even, but knew he was far from asleep. He couldn't be hers. Could not belong, to only her. What they had, was temporary and she had walked into the situation knowingly. Still it burned to think of him lying with some faceless demon with far more legacy and a larger dowry than she could ever hope to steal. Rin banished the thoughts and focused on pleasing her master.

By the time she flipped him over he felt like putty, like there were no responsibilities, no worries, no people to answer to, just him and Rin. He felt free of his status and expectations, light and…simple. It was all still very new and disconcerting. She stared into his eyes her hands still working his shoulders moving down to his chest. A flash of her deceptive words, an evil smile while she stroked his face went through his mind and Sesshoumaru blinked it away. He wondered how easy it would be for her to sink her claws into his chest and rip his heart out. There was no healing from that. But she didn't, she continued to massage him and look at him like he was the very substance that kept her once ningen heart beating. She reached his pelvis before his body took any sort of sexual initiative.

Sesshoumaru sat up and as usual Rin felt the skin in her face heat up. He was just too perfect, an angel, a demon, whatever, he plagued her dreams at night. She could smell both her arousal mixed with his. She forced herself to look at the throbbing flesh in between his legs. She wanted to lose the innocence that choked her up when she wanted so badly to make him feel pleasure. She took him in her hands, refusing to look at his face, but heard as his claws began to gouge the material beneath him. A low sound came from his chest and with an embarrassed glance she saw his eyes were half lidded and his head lolled back. Still he watched her with an intense scrutiny and Rin, on a whim, ducked her head and licked him. She was aware of his hand clamping on the back of her neck and the air moving around her as he flipped her on her stomach. Usually Rin had lightning fast reflexes but being around him had fuddled her brain and she was slow to get up, not even sure if what she had done was good or bad.

He reared her up suddenly and Rin cried out as he filled her so fully. It became hard for her to breathe, like he was taking up too much room in her body for her lungs to work. His name went through her head like a mantra and she wondered if she was moaning it. She felt his hot breath on the back of her neck as he leaned down and thrust hard into her. She pushed up against him, feeling strength return to her limbs, but he pushed her back down growling in her shoulder. He smirked into her skin as she pressed against him, challenging him, and yelped when his claws found purchase on her waist and thighs. He didn't even know why she was struggling, he supposed an inner instinct, when he was so much the obvious dominant.

He flipped her, careful not to dislodge himself, before ramming back into her. Her screech goaded his ego and he moved faster, eager to feel her pulse and convulse around him. He bent lower again, kissing, biting, sqeezing her into submission until she moaned and begged his name over and over again. "Sesshou-maru." Her voice hitched as he nipped at her hardened nipples.

"Yes Rin?" He answered patiently, his baritone voice driving her mad, his claws sliding down her stomach and up her sides until tiny red lines appeared and disappeared.

"Ple-ahh" She broke off when he angled himself perfectly. His hands finding her breasts as his teeth took her neck. Her claws sank into the skin of his back and retraced the same pattern she had etched maybe forty times already. She shook her head, irritating him and he didn't notice when his eyes bled red. He grabbed a handful of her hair, pulling to expose her neck and hindering her movements so his teeth could find better access. She welded herself to him as she keened his name, her blood spilling from her neck into his mouth and her climax making his senses go bizarre. His body spasmed as came into her, filling her and she wrapped her arms tightly around him.

It was almost regretful to come back down from the euphoria but Sesshoumaru's practicality kicked in. He had to be somewhere and even though he waited for no one and all waited for him, he sincerely wanted to be through with the conference hanging over his head. He unlocked his teeth and Rin let her arms fall to her sides. One look told him that she was almost already asleep and the noise she made as he pulled out had him stiff with want again. He reigned in his self control and found fresh clothes to wear. Wiping the blood from his mouth and neck, he ran a brush through his hair a few times before making his way down the hall and up the stairs to his study. He was glad for the strong smell of parchment and ink, it masked the underlying scent of Rin and sex that stuck with him though he didn't care much. None of his generals were lacking intelligence and if they hadn't guessed on their own, than they had heard rumors. No one was brave enough to broach the topic.

He didn't apologize for being hours late, he didn't have to. Just sank into his seat behind his desk and let the cold stoicism fall back where it belonged, since being with Rin always seemed to melt if off. "Begin." He said looking to Tokigechi first. It was then he noticed the slight hesitation in his generals. The almost anxious faces. Nearly nothing made his generals anxious.

Tokigechi bowed in polite formalities and took a deep breath. The act of hesitation and delay irked Sesshoumaru visibly. "My Lord," He began. "It appears the messengers sent to the Underwater Province have been assassinated."

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes and leaned back. The generals watched with wary interest. Kian had killed his messengers, an obvious sign of enmity against him. He most likely blamed the Western Lord for his daughter's death, and Sesshoumaru had not deluded himself into assuming the Underwater Lord would always see reason. Kia had been his prized possession after all. His soldiers, although virtually unstoppable, were war weary. Though Sesshoumaru had not doubt that if he called for war again so soon his people would not only follow him, but do so joyously and arrogantly, but he didn't want to. His warriors had just come home, they were ready to retell the tales and laugh over victory. They were ready to mourn the dead.

Sesshoumaru waved his hand. "Leave him." He said simply and waited for the next bit of information.

Tokigechi stood there idiotically for a longer while before sitting down again. Another took his place. "Lord Jube Deido has set a date for his coronation. He asks that you, above all others, attend."

Sesshoumaru nodded. As much as he really did not care, it would show strength in the young Lord and for future benefits he supposed it was worthwhile. "Lord and Lady Sashine are set to arrive midday tomorrow." Another announced.

"Very well. Have their usual chambers ready. How is their fool of a son?" He asked sounding anything but concerned for Ishan's welfare.

"He is progressing as was expected. His color has returned and he regained consciousness not too long ago. He should be in good condition by the time the Lord of the Middle Province arrives."

Sesshoumaru waved his hand at their ignorance. "It is the Lady to be concerned with. She greatly affects Rin and if she is unhappy Rin will be unhappy. See to it that she is happy." He stated looking right at the general. The lesser youkai bowed low and sat back down.

Another stood. "Since your departure, Ukahime and Ukaseisho have fallen into civil war. It seems no one is certain about who killed Lord Neidoshida but accusations are making their way here. It is certain my Lord, if they find that you killed him, there will be war on Western Land."

"You may send an envoy to tell Ukaseisho it was I that killed Neidoshida and if they wish for war then let them fly to the West." Sesshoumaru was fairly certain there would be nothing permanently damaging if they decided to war with his land. He would send Rin and a small battalion to intercept them on Eastern Land territory and destroy them before one feather landed in the West. The general bowed and sat.

"Master Inuyasha asks for a substitute as he travels." One general said, a look of confusion on his face. Sesshoumaru understood though. His half brother was going through the well and wanted someone to stand in for him. He was getting to be bothersome, but Sesshoumaru supposed he owed him one for housing Jube on his whim.

"Send three and let him pick his liking." When no one else stood to talk, he did. "There will be a banquet in honor of my victory. I will have Rin come with details. I want reenactments and I want to see the most promising of the next generation of my soldiers. I will have Rin test their skills. Make sure you extend an invitation to Zenno and his top general, and the Deido and his top general." He didn't wait for them to rise and bow before he was out of the room, down the steps, down the corridor and back into his room. Rin sat up on her elbow as he rounded the corner to the inner chamber.

She was lovely, her pale skin still slightly flushed, her dark brown hair fanned down her body and her eyes looked at him with such open adoration that he was left staring into them. He often wondered why she looked at him that way. She said it often enough that he knew the reason, but what about him made her feel that way? And what about his own feeling?. He was past the point of questioning whether or not he had any. If he hadn't any, she certainly had created some. He was, with no other way to say it, falling in love with the ward to whom he had sworn was impossible. The ningen girl he had exiled for braving enough to say such words aloud, the strange changeling that he was not sure was youkai or a super-hybrid hanyou.

"Sesshoumaru." She breathed, making the hair on the back of his neck stand. He hadn't realized how much he liked hearing her say it. His name with no title, just him. Not the Lord of the West, but the youkai in front of her. She stood and Sesshoumaru could see evidence of their earlier activities. There were purplish bruises on her arms and neck and yellowing ones on her thighs and behind her knees, fading, but there. It filled him with an odd sense of possession. It was disconcerting to associate those feelings with her, but they were too powerful for his usually immaculate, self restraint. He found himself crushing her smaller frame to his before he could fully comprehend what he was doing. She was moaning into his persistent lips as he sought to claim her again and again.

It was odd for her. It was usually Rin that showed such blatant desire for her Lord and he seemed to let her have her way. But this wanton was wholly unfamiliar from her Lord. Passion was not something closely associated with Sesshoumaru unless it was the word 'hate'. He did not seem to love or like much of anything at all but here he was claiming her. Claiming her because the blood in her veins shrieked with instinct as his fangs pierced her skin and he bit her on her shoulder, then her neck, then just below her collar bone, and then she was on the floor writhing under him as he took her over and over. He growled above her, his eyes boring into hers, telling her how long the night would be. He was insatiable, and if passion was what she wanted from him, to drop the mask he wore to hide himself, to let her see what he felt, then passion was what she would get.

* * *

Kian gazed out of the window in silent worry. He was waiting for the alarm, the ringing, the screaming. He knew it was coming. That bastard of a dog in the West chose, at an early age, to remove the word 'mercy' from his vocabulary. But nothing came as Kian waited. He could see it; barrels of boiling oil being propelled down into his country. The oil would still be hot enough to maim and burn and kill as it burst open. Or poison spread throughout the water and then a small battalion sent to finish any survivors. Sesshoumaru was a heartless bastard and Kian knew what the dog was capable of. And though he wanted revenge, time had shoved wisdom back into his head. His people would suffer if war were brought to his home front. What was worse was that Kia's body was still on land. He had not sent anyone to retrieve it fearing repercussions for his actions. Still he waited and nothing came.

It was impossible to take what those foolish envoys had said seriously. Surely Kia would not endanger Sesshoumaru's life. For what? She rather liked him and Rin both. Kian didn't understand. He knew she had been having an affair with that young youkai Ishan, but what would have transpired for her to try to kill Sesshoumaru? Still the Lord of the West was much but a liar. The Kian's heart grieved. It seemed there would be no justice for his dead daughter. But he needed to know, needed to know what happened and he knew who could tell him. She was Kia's best friend, of course she would know.

* * *

**[A/N] Review Plz!!**


	16. Changing events

**[A/N] The wait was unbearable, yes I know! But I must say we're winding down to the end. I forsee another three or four chapters and an Epi if I feel particularly gracious. Lol. Well Enjoy!**

* * *

**Ningen Impossibilities**

**Chapter Fifteen **

Yosai hurried through the corridors, her husband trailing behind at her speed. The grand doors opened for her to find her son sitting there in the throne room. Ishan looked up, his light blue eyes slightly dull, but his skin was back to his golden brown and his hair laid down his back to rest on the floor. "Mama." He breathed and she fell to her knees in front of him, her arms squeezed his weak body to hers as she tried very hard not to cry tears of joy.

Suzari stepped in, very grateful to Sesshoumaru for allowing this moment to be personal. Yosai would have made a fool of herself had any nobles been here. He rushed to his wife's side, embracing both her and his weak son. Ishan's smile was small and immediately Suzari could tell he was still weak from whatever was ailing him. After a few moments footsteps could be heard and Suzari pulled Yosai up just in time to greet Sesshoumaru and his ward. It seemed trying to adhere to protocol was in vain because as soon as Yosai saw Rin she rushed over to embrace the younger one.

"Oh, I knew it." She whispered vehemently into the Rin's neck. "I knew I could count on you. Thank you. There are no words to express my gratitude. He is my only son. My only child."

Rin's smile was bright as she pulled back to gaze in her older friends face. She giggled slightly. "I wish I could take credit, but actually it was my Lord that saved him." Sesshoumaru, who had gone to sit in his seat, raised a brow and looked over their way. He didn't know what had stayed him from killing Hibina. He supposed having part in the death of two offspring might have had an impact on his conscious. Might. He remained silent as Rin retold the story and Yosai sent little disbelieving glances his way.

Suzari approached him. "We are truly grateful for your kindness and your hospitality."

Sesshoumaru nodded once. "Think nothing of it. You housed Rin, I will return the favor until he is ready to return home. Unless you would like to take him now?" He asked actually trying to seem as if he cared.

"No, uh, we have another request. If you would not mind, we would like to stay for a while and we will take Ishan home with us when he is well."

"You are always welcome here. I suppose it is better this way, you can stay for the banquet." A small physician scurried to the Western Lord's side and whispered. Sesshoumaru gestured toward Suzari and the physician did as was told, telling Suzari it was time to return Ishan to his chamber so he could rest.

Yosai watched with an anxious face as Ishan was escorted away. "A bath perhaps?" Rin asked.

She sighed and turned to face the ward. "How is the bath here? It has been far too long since I have had a bath in the Western Palace."

"Very spacious." Rin turned to escort her and winced as one of her muscles protested. She caught the eyes of her Lord and blushed. She hurried down the hall lest Yosai catch her face and she would find herself the topic of very embarrassing conversation.

* * *

Jube sighed and turned for what had to be the fifteenth time since he had vowed to try to sleep. Why couldn't he get her out of his head? She was like an angel swooping down to save him. Her seemingly soft lips and dark hair. Even the battle version of herself, covered in the enemie's blood with a fierce look upon her face, sent shivers through his spine. He wanted her in a terrible way, but she belonged to the West. Even still, it did not seem she had an interest for any other demon, and she had been exceptionally nice to him. He wondered if he was worthy of her. She was so strong, so powerful, it would be her protecting him and not the other way around. The thought brought shame to his face even though he was by himself. How could he possibly approach her knowing this was true. She mostly likely wanted someone strong. Someone dominant.

Someone like…..Sesshoumaru.

If he could just be more like him, then perhaps she would take a liking toward him. Maybe they could be married and ally the West and the South for good. He wondered what kind of gift he would have to offer Sesshoumaru for her hand. She was his ward after all, he would have to go to him for his blessing before even thinking of asking Rin. He wanted to make sure he did things right so no one was offended. The thought comforted him a little and sleep finally rolled into his brain. He dreamt of war and his parents with happy smiling faces as he stood under a cherry blossom tree and kissed his new wife, Rin.

* * *

Rin rolled her shoulder. Today had been just a little hectic. Between overseeing the decorations for the palace, the invitations for the banquet, the materials for Nanjo's new palace gate and entertaining Yosai, Rin was exhausted. She would have rather had to fight all day that stretch her mind in twenty different directions every five minutes. What was worse, it seemed her Lord was lacking things to do. Of course with the new threat of Ukahime he was hand picking foul youkai that would make a small battalion and preparing for foreign trade ships, but other than that it seemed he had nothing else to do. Rin sighed as she reached her room and fell on her bed. She groaned and remembered she had yet to bathe. It was times like this that if she had been raised any other way, hygiene would have been at the bottom of her list of things to worry about.

Rin pushed herself up, grabbed a yukata and a brush and trudged her way to the bath to wash off the summer heat. Of course as she neared the bath she could smell him and it was too late to turn back, he had most likely heard her. Rin bit her lip and entered with trepidation. She had not the energy to entertain him too.

He was there submerged in the steaming water, his hair to one side and his head leaned back against the stone edge. Oddly enough, he didn't seem to notice her. Rin thanked the Gods at work and submerged herself a little ways away, just in case he was tempted. She tried not to look at him too much. It was far too easy for just the sight of him to excite her and she had no stamina for excitement. She leaned against the edge and let her body relax. Soon her eyes were closed and Rin was so tranquil she didn't notice her Lord until his teeth were on her neck. She gasped and squirmed but it was too late. He was already pressed against her in the delicious heat, moving his body against her, making her brain fill with a buzzing noise that blocked every other sound but his. She arched against him and seemed to remember something when her muscles ached suddenly.

"M-my Lord." Rin placed her hands on his shoulder and he looked up at her. His eyes were wider than usual and lustful barrels that stared through her. Suddenly she was at a loss for words. How to tell him she was tired…it would probably sound like rejection. She opened her mouth and closed it again, nothing coming to mind. He blinked at her and waited. Now she had to say something. "Aren't you tired from all day?" She asked a little breathlessly.

He cocked his head to the side and then a malicious grin spread on his face. Rin blinked and leaned into the wall a little more. That face scared her. "Are you tired Rin?" He asked, sounding truly concerned. It didn't match with his face. His body pressed against hers again. Rin just swallowed and nodded. He wrapped his arms around and hiked her legs up and around him. It was easy to settle her where she belonged.

Rin cried out when he filled her and then immediately clamped her mouth closed. Her voiced echoed off the walls and she didn't want the entire palace to hear her. Sesshoumaru chuckled into her shoulder, his hand almost lapping each other around her waist. Rin panted hard, letting little mews leave her when she could contain it any longer. He was pushing her into the ledge, holding her close to him as he slid deep enough to make Rin feel dizzy. She wondered why she could feel him everywhere inside. In her chest, her belly, like he was taking over her being. He breathed onto her neck his face coming up to take her lips. He kissed her and Rin held him there, her hand sank into the mass of wet silver hair that floated around them, tangled with her dark brown. She felt his claws tighten on her waist, prick her skin as he thrusts became a little harder.

Rin felt like her breath was being knocked out of her, and what little she tried to get back, Sesshoumaru's tongue kept from her. He took over her, he controlled her as their bodies pulsed together. Rin etched her claws down his back and neck, her tongue battling his as she nipped at his lips. She pushed and pulled at him as he shoved himself deeper and deeper until Rin felt herself being undone. His chest pressed against her harder and his hands wandered down to grab the round flesh of her behind. He pulled her into his pushes, banged her against the stone wall until Rin was sure she was going to have bruises. Hooking his hand under one of her knees he opened her legs wider, until it touched the wall as well. Rin mashed her teeth together with the effort of trying to keep quiet. But she broke when he bit her.

Rin let her voice carry and bounce off the walls as he took every piece of her and twisted it inside out. How was he able to do this? Make her feel like she was coming undone, make her forget her name but remember his. It was crazy and it felt impossible. His pants were erotic wood to her burning flame. And when his breath hitched and he moaned into her as his body shook it was all she could do not to scream like she was dying.

Rin bit her lip when he pulled out of her and sighed. She opened her eyes, not knowing when she had closed them, to see him looking at her. Her body refused to obey her, still she reached around and pulled a piece of the wall that had found its way into her back. She held it up for him to see and a small smile appeared on his face. It was adorable and rare. Rin sighed again. "You know my Lord I would say it is only fair for you to bathe me since I am far too tired to do so."

He inclined his head. "I could, but then that would create quite a vicious cycle." He pulled her closer and Rin smiled into his shoulder. She wondered what went through his head. What did she mean to him? At least she was glad he did not usually discard her after sex.

However, that didn't change the fact that she wanted to sleep. "Very well then. I will go over here and bathe." She looked at him poignantly and swam to where he had been previously. He watched her but made no motions to move. She became self conscious as she hoisted herself out of the water to rub the soap made from flower extract. When she got to her more intimate parts she just took a deep breath and hurried through it. She was scooting back to the water when she noticed he had somehow made his way over again. In the water he looked odd, somehow younger, less threatening, less deadly.

She eeped and scooted away again. The little smile came back. "Come here Rin." He said simply and Rin could not disobey. She scooted over with her right side facing him. Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes and pulled her so she was facing him, coming right to his shoulders. He looked into her eyes and pulled her knees apart. She sputtered, her gaze going wide but he ignored her.

"S-Sesshoumaru!" She called in shock as he ran his nose from her belly button down to settle at her core. He could smell the soap but she smelt stronger. He let his tongue snake out and her hips bucked automatically. He looked up into her shocked eyes and gave a long lick. Her body lurched spasmically as she felt the moisture gather. Her hips rolled without her command as he did wicked things to her. His strong hands kept her legs open when she so desperately wanted to close them and run away.

He could taste the flowers but she taste stronger. And when she began to leak, he lapped up her essence running his textured tongue through every part of her. She was keening, her breast moving as her body did odd things. He was aware that it was him doing this to her, making her feel this way, and it goaded him on. He wanted to taste and see her peak with his own eyes. He wanted to see it happen. He was careful of his teeth, not wanted to hurt her and flicked his tongue back and forth across the prominent little nub that seemed to be the appendage responsible for her thrashing. He slid his long tongue inside her and moved it, using his lips to massage the nub. He felt her clinch around his tongue and buck into him.

Rin felt her climax come and it stretched out far longer than she thought. And when she thought she was done he pushed his tongue into her again and her world went crashing a second time. "Sesshoumaru." She moaned his name as everything went black.

* * *

Ishan groaned as he willed his body to work. He pushed himself to his feet, swaying and swooning, but standing. Suzari stood not too far from him, his mouth in a grim line of determination as he watched his son struggle. The poison was an odd yet powerful one. It latched onto the hosts system and slowly ate it away. Although he was being treated by the best youkai physicians in the West, there was no cure but for ones natural youki to fight it.

Ishan staggered to the wall and slumped against it, locking his legs so he didn't slide to the floor. His breathing was harsh but he felt better for his small accomplishment. "Where is mother?" He asked with no small difficulty.

Suzari sighed. "She could not stand this. I sent her away."

Ishan nodded. "And Lady Rin? She and Sesshoumaru saved me." He didn't sound too appreciative.

His father growled. "Show your respect child. Lord Sesshoumaru could have as easily left you there to die than cart you back here because your mother and I asked him to, asked Rin to. He could have left you there, and there would have been nothing we could have done but race to you ourselves and hope we found you alive." Suzari closed his eyes and Ishan sighed.

"Yes, father. I know." Ishan gnawed on his lip. He wanted desperately to ask what he really wanted to know, but had no idea how to. "And the Underwater Province? Have you heard anything from them?"

Suzari was quiet for a moment and Ishan did not dare look his way. "Sesshoumaru is not sure if the King will wage war. It is strange because Sesshoumaru is not preparing for it."

Ishan looked up in confusion? "Wage war? Have they sided with the South? I thought the war was over. Why would he wage war?"

"Over the dead princess. Rin killed her." He stated as if his son should have already known.

Ishan felt the breath knocked out of his chest. Kia was dead? Killed by Rin? How could this have happened? When did this happen? He groaned and slid to the floor, cupping his head in his hands. He suddenly felt so weary. Now he had nothing, no one that was his own. He could not have Rin, that much was apparent, but Kia had been his. Even if he had not loved her, she was beautiful, and wanted him. He honestly believed they could have been happy, but now Rin had killed her. Why? Why had she done that? Ishan didn't even notice his father until the wind youkai was shaking him.

"Ishan? Speak to me!" His son looked up and Suzari could see the long stains that slide from his eyes down his face. "Ishan? What is it? Why do you weep?" A knot developed in his stomach? "Are you in pain?"

Ishan could not speak for a long moment. "She was my lover." He said quietly. He didn't know what he expected his father to do but when Suzari took a large step back it hurt even worse.

"No." He pleaded gravely. "You did not. You could not have. You know better, of course you did not!" He raked his claws through his bluntly cut, light blue hair. "Ishan!" He yelled with no other way to express how he felt. He began pacing and Ishan stayed where he was.

"We did not plan it. It just…happened."

He looked back at his son, his face showing surprise. "How long had this been going on?"

"Years." He said without tone. "Perhaps four or five."

His father gasped. "She is so young already and now for four or five years you two…." His voice trailed off in horror. "Does her father know?" Ishan shrugged. Suzari was quiet for a moment and then he was rushing toward the door.

"What are you about to do?" he called.

"I must tell Sesshoumaru."

"What?!" Ishan struggled to stand. "Why would you do that?"

Suzari turned to him in anger. "Because Ishan! Rin had a probable reason for killing his daughter, he could not go to war with Sesshoumaru and expect to win favor on those grounds alone. But you have soiled and shamed his daughter! His people! If he ever wanted blood it would be yours!" The severity of the situation seemed to dawn on Suzari himself and the youkai closed his eyes tight and bent low as if in pain. Ishan opened his mouth to say something, anything, but there was nothing to say. In a breath of determination the Lord of the Middle Lands turned and swung the shoji shut, racing down the halls to find what could be his only savior.

* * *

Rin looked at the long letter she had written. It was surprising to find an official letter from Kian asking about his daughters last days but both she and Sesshoumaru took it as his way of apologizing for killing his envoys. So Rin had written a very long letter, heartfelt and truthful, while a scribe copied her handwriting exactly on another parchment for their own records and Rin had sent it off via Kitsune messenger. Sesshoumaru sat across from her in his study, reading different reports from villages along his land that still needed repair from the band of youkai that had ravaged them. Their plan had been to hide and pick off envoys as the war started. And although they had been found and killed Sesshoumaru was still upset that it had happened at all. As for Kia's involvement with them…Rin liked to believe it was just another water-youkai female that had stolen an Under Province ship.

It was peaceful today. Yosai had gone to shop and Rin had politely declined. Ishan was somewhere within the palace working to recover and with him was his father. Plans for the banquet were set and the invitations were out. It was to be a week from today. Rin just hoped Inuyasha and Kagome were back by then. Rin and her master heard running as his scent raced toward them.

The door slammed open and a horrified looking Suzari stepped inside. "F-forgive me." He said closing the door behind him and slumping to the floor. He looked at Sesshoumaru and something in the way the dog demon gazed at him as If he knew the source of his concern brought him to a conclusion. "My son…how much of his affair do you know?"

Rin looked to Sesshoumaru and was surprised to find him looking at her. A silent exchange was made as she supposed he wasn't going to address the matter. She turned to face the Middle Lands Lord. "Everything." She said firmly. She was still upset at Ishan for using Kia, although it was not as extreme as Hibina, she knew very well he was not as in love with her as she had been with him.

Suzari shook his head. "How long have you known? How could you not tell us?" He looked up thrusting his despair at Rin as she met his eyes. Rin looked away.

"That was not for us to do." Sesshoumaru stated simply.

The wind-youkai opened his mouth but then closed it and looked to his lap for comfort. "Now what will happen to my son? Does Kian know of this?"

Rin nodded slowly. "He asked for an account of Kia's last days. In order to justify her actions, I told how Hibina manipulated Kia and Ishan's relationship." Her voice faded at the end. How could she have not thought about that first?

Suzari's despair seemed to worsen. "How can I keep him from asking for my son as retribution?"

Rin shook her head. The thought had never come across. "He wouldn't………" She could not finish that. Of course he would. He was enraged and confused. Any blood would be better than none. She whipped her head to her Lord, their eyes locking as she pleaded with him. He bent so many rules, but this one was base, carnal, as embedded in youkai culture as breathing. Touching anyone's child was punishable by death.

Sesshoumaru looked down and exhaled very slowly. "Ishan's choice was his own." He looked up to see the other Lord's eyes wide with disbelief. "I have done what I can for him, but even I cannot change that." He heard the breath whoosh into Suzari's body and saw the rigid way he stood, his eyes wide and his jaw locked.

He said nothing as he slid the door open slowly, "I will not give him up." It was a whisper as he stepped through the threshold and slid it back.

Rin let her head fall onto the table. How could she have been so stupid! She had completely forgotten that Kian could now demand Ishan's life. She groaned. "Another war, so soon again. The soldiers have just gotten back."

"It is not our war."

Rin's head snapped up. "What do you mean it is not our war? They are our allies!"

"They did not aid us against the South." Sesshoumaru stated acerbically. "Their son has always been a fool."

Rin gasped. "That is no reason for him to die! Think of what would happen to Yosai!"

"What he did is not my problem."

"If Kian wishes for Ishan then there will be war. Ishan may have been a fool but he is the son of my friend. We cannot not help them!"

"The West will not fight for the decisions made my some hormone driven pup." His teeth gritted together. Anyone else and he would have killed them for the amount of words coming out of her mouth.

"Well I will fight!" Rin stood suddenly.

Sesshoumaru was up just as quickly. "You will not."

"You cannot ask me to sit and watch as Yosai and Suzari battle for the life of their only son!"

"I am not asking. I am telling you, this is not our fight." He bit through each word.

"She is my friend." Rin whispered, her eyes glowering at her Lord. "I promised Yosai I would protect him!"

"You promised to yank his miserable hide out of neck-high shit!" His temper making his self control slip.

Rin was quiet and her eyes fell to the floor. She looked up at him, her hazel color bright and her gaze full of something Sesshoumaru had never seen directed toward him. Disdain. "You are so cruel." She said before she fled the room.

* * *

Rin let the silky white strands slide through her fingers as Yosai's chest heaved. She was lying on Rin's lap and although her body shook, Rin was sure she had no more tears left. She murmured soft sounds and tried her best to soothe the grieving lady. The Middle Province was as passive as the East. It seemed like a lost cause to Yosai and she was crying as if Ishan's blood had already been spilled. "How-how could he?" She asked again.

Rin ran her hand through the hair again. "He is young."

The older female looked up, her eyes full of emotion. "You are just as young and yet..."

"Do not worry." Rin tried again, her friends emotions fueling her own. "I will fight with you."

Yosai shook her head. "But Sesshoumaru said that the West would not-"

"I, will fight for you." Rin's eyes glazed with a steely glint. Yosai nodded silently and laid back down on her friend. It had been two days since Rin's argument with her Lord, and the only thing that had waned was her patience with his cold demeanor. He could not possibly right on this topic. Yes, logically, the West had absolutely nothing to do with this. And yes, justly, the Middle had not helped them defeat the South. But morally, their friends were in danger and they were able to help. What made Rin mad, was that she knew his heart was warmer than how he portrayed it to be.

* * *

The days were passing slowly without her. The sheer fact of this annoyed him but he was through contemplating 'why' anymore. He had never been one to bang his head against a wall. Sesshoumaru stared at his ceiling from within his bed. One that smelled only faintly of Rin. He liked when her scent encompassed his room, mingled with his own like many of his possessions. He gave a soft sigh, quite unlike himself, and was out of his room before he had a clear idea of what he was doing. But he knew when he rounded the corner to her quarters that the little Halfling had brought him to his knees.

He opened the shoji to meet her naked back, the covers thrown about her waist in the heat. She didn't turn to greet him, but she wasn't asleep either. He sat behind her, looking over, and watched her chest rise and fall and the wonderful things it did to her breasts. "I don't see why I have to waste what belongs to me in an effort to save an idiot's life when he will most surely waste it again on something else equally idiotic." He stated to the growing smile taking over her features. She rose and gazed at him fully with her eyes.

"Only for his parents would you find in within your heart to save his miserable hide yet again." She said with as little patronizing as she could muster and smiled widely, kissing him in the entirely ningen, girlish sort of way he remembered from her youth.

"Hn."

"Besides there are ways to relieve you frustrations on him directly." Sesshoumaru's brow rose deftly. "I am sure he will need help with his mobility and fighting skills. Take those matters into your hands, personally." She giggled at the toothy smirk that filled his face.

"You are quite the evil thing." His monotone was back but the light in his golden eyes told her he was pleased.

"I only learned from the best." Her hearty laugh was enough to distract him from her comment as his eyes glued downward with growing interest. Rin squealed when he pushed her down. It was almost unbearably hot, but the only thing she registered, was the form above her, taking everything she had.

* * *

Rin briefly wondered how hot it must be in the South for the heat to be so oppressive in the West. It was one of the hottest summers she could ever remember. Then again, Sesshoumaru would sometimes force her to stay inside some days if he felt it was too hot for her when she was young. That didn't stop all the youkai nobility, save those from the south, to come and celebrate the West's triumph. Sesshoumaru looked relatively pleased. His hair was pulled high and doubled so that the loop fell to his lower back. He had donned a traditional kimono of white with red along the bottom of the sleeves, pants, and around the collar. He strode along the huge terrace where his soldiers practiced and had announced that this banquet was more in their honor. This praise alone was enough to fuel them to kill a thousand more youkai just to hear it again.

Suzari and Yosai seemed far lighter, as if there was no impending war above their heads. No reply from Kian had come yet, but that could be taken in far too many ways. Even so it seemed the West was determined to have a pleasant afternoon.

Sesshoumaru nodded a naturally pleased expression on his face as more soldier came and proclaimed their undying loyalty for him and his house. He inclined his head, showing a measured amount of respect for their words. A slightly familiar aura approached. "Lord Sesshoumaru." Young Deido called for him.

"Lord Deido." Sesshoumaru used his title. His mood was extremely pleasant.

For some reason the snake-youkai opened his mouth to talk and his brown skin flushed in a light blush before he even said anything. This succeeded in piquing Sesshoumaru's interest as he turned his full attention to the young Lord. Jube took a deep breath. "I wanted to request something from you, but I wasn't sure exactly how, or if it was to be done in a more formal fashion."

The Inu's head cocked to the slightly. "You may speak." He began walking and others took their cue and refrained from walking to talk to him.

Jube followed him and after a moment paused as Sesshoumaru did. For a moment he looked at the grass and Sesshoumaru could smell spurts of agitation as he tried to calm himself. "I wanted," He looked up into the deep eyes of his elder. "Rin's hand."

Sesshoumaru's brows furrowed in confusion. "Her hand? Aid in a new feud?" He asked in a completely oblivious manner.

Jube blushed harder. "No, in marriage." He forced himself to say without stuttering. Sesshoumaru withdrew so quickly his jaw snapped shut with an audible clamp. Jube sensing what he thought was reluctance began sputtering. "I know I am not that strong but I feel that once I am more established in my new position, I could take good care of her. Not to mention she would be Lady of her own country and of course I would not mind that her loyalty remain the house of the West since it is where she was raised. It would permanently eradicate any lingering bad blood and solidify peace between our people." He stopped talking when he realized Sesshoumaru was not listening.

The Western Lord's fists clenched and his jaw locked as his gaze hardened. Was this pup serious? Could he not smell his scent all over her? He had to remind himself that not only was he young but he was naïve and he did in fact have respect enough to come to Sesshoumaru first, the way it should be. However all this did was convince him that it was not fitting to kill him where he stood. He calmed considerably. "Tell me, have you been by Rin?"

Again he blushed. "Uh no, I was too embarrassed to go anywhere near her." He answered truthfully.

Sesshoumaru's eyes flickered over Jube's shoulder and the younger turned slightly. Both saw Rin as she breezed by, Kagome and Sango on her arm. Her eyes connected with that of her Lord's and just like that he felt completely himself again. The devotion in her eyes was so absolute it was foolish to think of her leaving and surrendering herself to the young snake like his subconscious was doing. Both saw the look she gave him and while Sesshoumaru was used to it Jube was shocked along with her scent that spoke very much of her relationship with her Lord. Sesshoumaru finally let his eyes slide back to Jube's astonished form.

"She is mine. The answer is no." He would have continued to elaborate but a tall figure a little ways back stole his total attention. He walked languidly seeing the dark black hair and pale slightly blue skin of the youkai's arms. "Kian." He acknowledged.

The water-youkai didn't turn around as Sesshoumaru stepped beside him. "I came to formally apologize for killing you envoys and to collect my daughter."

"Of course. Will you not stay?" He found himself asking.

Kian turned to him. "You bear no hostility?"

Sesshoumaru quirked a brow. "Do you?"

Kian shook his head slowly. "No, you wards accounts for her last days sound far too accurate and match with what others say. I know she would not kill her close friend for no reason."

Sesshoumaru nodded. "You are welcome here Kian, do not worry, I hold no hostility towards you." The Inu directing them towards the Middle Lands rulers. "I am assuming you will replace my envoys?" He asked with a straight face.

Kian chuckled. "Consider it done."

* * *

Rin laughed and played with a flower, sprawled over both Kagome and Sango's laps. She hadn't felt this comfortable in quite a long time. "I tell you I almost threw his tiny behind through a window." Kagome finished a joke leaving both Rin and Sango clutching their sides. A lumbering mass of red made his way towards them and Inuyasha sank down and kissed his mate.

"Are you telling that same-" He stopped suddenly and seemed to shoot a look that made Rin pause. He looked as if he had just seen a purple dragon fly by. "H-has my brother been by here?" All three girls shook their heads. "How long have you been away from him?" He asked Rin.

She shrugged and sat up. "A few hours I guess. He dragged Suzari, Yosai, Deido and Kian in about something and I decided to stay out here. Why?"

Inuyasha bit his lip and shook his head a weird expression coming over his face. Rin scowled. "Inuyasha tell me!"

The hanyou stood up. "It's not for me to say." He began walking away again. But Rin was up and clutching him by the shoulders.

"What's wrong is it something serious? Inuyasha tell me!"

The hanyou looked anywhere but at her shaking his head that weird expression. "Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled, agreeing with Rin. "Will you just spill it already?"

"Kagome this had nothing to do with us?"

"What are you talking about?" Rin was getting frustrated. She turned to Kagome with a growl. "Make him tell me!"

Kagome put her hands on her hips with a huff and stared poignantly at Inuyasha. "Just spill it Inuyasha. Whatever it is can't be that bad." He just shook his head, a light blush staining his cheeks.

"Please." Rin pleaded, feeling his resolve cracking.

Finally he looked Rin into her eyes. "You're pregnant."

* * *

**[A/N] Review Review my little Lovelies!**


	17. Finally a confession

**[A/N] Well , well, I decided that the only reason the times between my updates were getting longer and longer, was because I was losing interest for this fic. So I decided that this would be the last chapter. It was well thought out so don't think the ending was rushed, as I know some will. I decided it would end that way and if you are all good little reviewrs, I'll include an Epi!!! Woo for the Epehs! I want to say if you can listen to this song for the first like, 4K words or so (Requiem for a dream – Lux Aeterna) and then (Blurry Eyes – L'arc en Ciel) for the ending. Those songs were like major inspiration. Sorry there is not parting Lemon.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Ningen Impossibilities**

**Chapter Sixteen**

Rin ran. Faster and faster her legs moved until she was sure she was far enough to rest as a tortured sob escaped her. This would be the ruin of her. She was not to carry a child, a bastard, half breed firstborn. Kagome had said she would allow Rin to flee to her time. No other place would be safe from Sesshoumaru. He would want to eliminate the child, and Rin hadn't realized how badly she wanted it until the thought of it being killed inside of her had taken root. She had run and had been running since then. She had nothing but the clothes on her back. Inuyasha had left before her with Kagome. If she was correct they were there waiting for her. Rin thought she heard something in the trees and she broke into a sprint that the wind would have approved of. She was near enough to feel Kagome's miko powers in the land. A protective hand made its way to her belly as she quickened her pace.

Yes it would be a bastard child, but no she would never, ever give it up.

* * *

Sesshoumaru's brow furrowed as his head swiveled. "Find Rin." He commanded a nearby servant as he continued his pursuit. Where the hell was she? It was not like her to go so long without coming to see him. It was evening already and he had released the tiny peace meeting hours ago. The servant came back empty handed and Sesshoumaru very nearly killed him in his frustration. He ordered Tokigechi be brought to him.

"My Lord?" He answered the distraught Lord who could barely concentrate on one thing for long.

"Where is Rin?" He asked suddenly.

Tokigechi's brows lifted in confusion but the look Sesshoumaru gave him quieted his initial answer. "I will send for her immediately. I remember seeing her with Lady Kagome, after that I did not see. I am sure she is with either the Lady or Master Inuyasha."

Sesshoumaru visibly calmed at this. Of course he had seen her with them as well. He felt foolish for worrying. "Find her quickly." He ordered. Tokigechi bowed and left promptly. However as time ticked by so did the Western Lord's patience as he paced around his personal garden. Visions of the worst possible scenarios played out in his head. Dead, raped, gagged and held hostage. He had received no demands, and although it would take an extraordinary demon to subdue Rin, careful planning and intelligence made it possible. Rin was infallible, but mortal all the same. He squeezed his eyes together and told his stomach to calm down, it was making a fool of him. When Tokigechi ran in, his head snapped so hard his hair whipped through the air and sliced a falling leaf.

From the look on his vassals face it was not good news he bore, but not horrible news either. Rather it looked like perplexing news, this Sesshoumaru figured out in less than one second. "Speak."

Tokigechi bowed and remained bowed. "My Lord, it seems the Lady Rin has….run away."

Sesshoumaru's reaction was confusing even to himself. He was just as confused as Tokigechi. "Have you any information as to why?"

At this Tokigechi fell to one knee but shook his head in defeat. "All I could gather was that Lady Rin was sitting under the tree with Lady Kagome and Master Inuyasha. It was said that the two left and Lady Rin stayed there for a while before running quickly after them."

Sesshoumaru scowled to himself. Was his brother and the miko in trouble? If so, why wouldn't Rin come to him? No, that made no sense. "Then she must have gone to his village. Look after things here." He was promptly running directly toward his brother's village. It took him longer than he would have liked, pausing over the raging stream to take his energy form. His mind was racing in so many different directions he didn't know whether or not to be angry with Rin. As he approached Inuyasha's gate he caught Rin's scent. It was…different, he couldn't quite put his finger on it, but it was going in a different direction. Sesshoumaru raced, pushing his speed, until he saw her.

She turned immediately, her face drawn and her body shifted to a protective stance. The Western Lord was only slightly annoyed because he couldn't get a good scent in the downhill wind to tell if she was injured. "Rin." He spoke calmly, confused at her agitation. "Why did you run here?" His brows furrowed sincerely.

Inuyasha stood with Kagome a hundred yards away, the Miko paused in opening the Bone Eaters Well. Inuyasha stepped forward towards Rin and while the gesture did not go unnoticed, it only furthered the Lord's confusion and his own rising annoyance. "Sesshoumaru, maybe you should let me talk to you somewhere else." Inuyasha tried. Finally stepping in front of Rin.

Sesshoumaru stepped forward. "Nonsense. Allow Rin to explain herself." He ordered, his voice taking a harder edge. Rin cowered slightly behind Inuyasha, taking a few steps back. Sesshoumaru growled at her silence. "Rin, speak." He ordered.

Rin opened her mouth to talk but no word formed in her head. She glanced back at Kagome and the Miko read her silent plea. She continued the mantra to open the well as Rin scoot back towards it. Inuyasha sighed. "Sesshoumaru I'm telling you this is not a good time. I'll tell you everything in a moment."

The older brother narrowed his eyes at the younger and with one quick bound landed neatly behind Rin. She squeaked and turned around. Sesshoumaru grabbed her wrist from off her stomach. "Rin wh-" His voice was lost in his throat as his nose tried to tell him something impossible. His eyes stared down at her then followed their way to her stomach, still flat in her pretty kimono. Something welled in him, two distinctive emotions, one so far different than the other it was hard to tell which he was feeling more. Pride that she was bearing a child of his, a male from the smell, but only a few hours old. Disgust at her bearing him a pitiful half-breed child, one thing he had sworn to all that was holy he would never do. Never make the same mistake of his father. There were two distinct options. Let her have him a son, or destroy the abomination while there was still time.

Sesshoumaru stood there so long Rin wasn't sure what to feel any longer and just wished he would say something instead of staring at her stomach. His piercing gaze flew up to subdue her own. "You knew." He practically spit out, thrusting her wrist back at her as if she was a plague. Instantly she took a few steps back covering her stomach again. "You were to flee with my brother and his mate and bear me a half breed child." He stated, coming to a realization. "You were betraying me."

"No!" Rin yelled so loud she startled herself. "I was scared, I am scared. I have never betrayed you." Her voice fell to a whisper from the heat of his eyes.

"And what were you planning Rin? To keep him from me? How long? Forever?" He asked in a venomous whisper, then a thought came to him and gave a sarcastic chuckle. "You planned to have him, in the future?" His tone made her feel stupid.

"Half breeds are not a disease, Sesshoumaru." Inuyasha stated stepping forward, but the Lord did not even acknowledge him.

"You are coming with me." He stated plainly.

Rin stepped back. "Wait, what will you have me do?"

"Do not question me." Sesshoumaru grabbed her wrist again.

Rin fell to her knees. "Will you kill him?" She asked desperately. "Will you kill your child?"

Sesshoumaru looked down at her for a few seconds before moving his hand with lightening speed and striking her on the neck. Rin fell limp into his arms and before Inuyasha or Kagome could say a word he was gone.

* * *

Rin felt groggy. Her head felt like lead and she was ravenous. She was in her Lord's room, she could smell him all around in everything. Her own scent came to her and Rin jerked upright to fall back again when she got an agonizing cramp in her stomach. Her hand went there to feel a slight swell. Rin knew youkai pregnancy were almost a quarter of that of a human pregnancy, but what of that of a half breed? She sat up slower and could not stop the slow smile from coming to her face as she imagined what he would look like. Hair like his father or her?

"You are happy with your state." Rin jumped at his absolutely still form in the shadows near his garden entrance.

Her smile fell quickly as her life came rushing back to her. She did not know how to answer to that. "I am." There was no reply. "How long have I been asleep my Lord?" Rin thought it best to use his title when his mood was so obviously unhappy.

"Almost four days."

Her stomach growled and she just brought her knees up to her face instead of asking for anything. Perhaps he wanted the child to starve.

Sesshoumaru stood there with a rational part of him telling himself that feeding Rin would only help the process along, but the irrational part told him it was impossible to leave Rin hungry. So he pushed off from the wall all was out of his door to fetch Jaken. When he returned she had not moved. The fear emanating from her was irritating. She should know better than to fear him. He paced around his room, his eyes glued to Rin's subdued form until Jaken waddled in with a tray full of food. One glare had the imp running back out without so much as a word. "My Lord." It was a whisper and the use of his title did not abate his irritation. Rin looked up at him, the full force of her hazel eyes an amazing force to still him. "What could I give," She crawled forward on the bed. "What could I give to you, for you to allow me to have this child."

Sesshoumaru instantly hated how she said this. Hated how her eyes sparkled with unshed tears and sincerity. Why would this child mean so much? "I cannot. He would forever be a threat to my official offspring."

Rin sat back slowly, her head down. "With whom shall you have an official offspring?"

The Western Lord stalked over to one of his vast windows. "By a demoness of course." He answered without thinking. By the time he turned Rin was slamming, quite awkwardly, into his chest.

"I hate you! I hate you, I hate you, I HATE YOU!" She pounded her small hands into him weakly, her body shaking as she cried angry tears into his hoari. "You are cruel and selfish, unkind and uncaring, possessive and obstinate! Who could ever love you? Why would anyone waste their time loving you! It's like loving a stone wall! It's obtuse and pointless and I love you so much it kills me. It hurts so much I don't know what to do." She sobbed. "Why do I love you?" Rin wore herself out from her tirade and slid to the floor, her face and arms quite literally on his feet. "I don't know why I love you. I want so much to be your mate, the mother of your children. It is hopeless, completely hopeless. There is no point, this must stop."

The finality in her voice made Sesshoumaru hold his breath. He didn't know how to respond. He resented some of the things she said, even to the point of being hurt. He would never admit it. It was a silly thought to think of Rin as the mother to anyone else's children, but he just could not accept the fact that she would have his. She was not a full youkai. She didn't smell like a half breed, but certain ningen qualities were still about her. It was folly, complete folly to even contemplate her as his mate, as the mother of his children, as a swollen woman waddling with the weight of his child in her stomach. It was absurd to want it. He could not follow the same mistake! Mistake after damning mistake after damning mistake, furthering the dilution of his bloodline. Soon there would be not one full breed youkai left.

Sesshoumaru sighed audibly and picked Rin up. "Rin there is nothing we can do to alter our fate. You are meant to be at my side and I at yours for as long as our time lasts. But you are not to be the Lady of the West. I cannot allow it." He tried to rationalize it, tried to make her see.

Rin nodded understandingly. "I see. It is the same, I must move on, our time is up. I cannot continue to pine after you, it is impossible." Her large colored eyes burned at him. "Just a ningen impossibility. You are too far from me, too far from my reach. We were meant to enjoy time at each other's side for as long as it lasted. But you are not to consume my heart. I cannot allow it." She had hardened. In those few minutes there in his chamber, Rin has hardened in a way he was having trouble understanding. "I will see to it that the child is destroyed." She stood and went to the door, turned and bowed. "My Lord." She acknowledged before practically fleeing the room.

Sesshoumaru stood there in shock. He turned slowly to stare, unblinkingly out into the sunlit garden. His mind raced from one object to another and so totally engrossed in his despair, he failed to notice the maid standing in a corner of the adjacent pathway.

* * *

Jube felt a weird mix of emotions. He wasn't certain if he was glad to hear this news or somehow, saddened. He ran his hand through his oddly colored hair. It was barely a week after the banquet and Jube had just returned home to find that there is a rumor circulating that Sesshoumaru's ward holds an unofficial child and she was leaving the West. He was not sure what to do with this news, but he did know that several things would happen, he could see them in the way his men talked about it nonstop. There were going to be many that would covet that child, and its equally invaluable mother.

He had been made a fool of, and though he was grateful on a certain level that he was still alive, from the look on Sesshoumaru's face at the time, he felt there could have been a better way to find out. He supposed it was foolish of him to approach the topic without having even been near Rin at all that day. He would have most certainly noticed that she smelt strongly of the Western Lord, but it did not help his bruised pride. What was worse was he was forced to look at him for hours afterwards in the small peace conference Sesshoumaru had ordered him to attend. He didn't know why the Inu had even initiated such a thing, he only sat there looking bored the entire time.

Perhaps it was well for him to lose Rin. Everyone knew she was the pride of the West, even during her exile. Everyone knew she was the one weakness of the impenetrable Sesshoumaru Inutaisho. Perhaps he would find some humility with her gone. Jube sighed again at his morbid thoughts. It all did not matter, he owed so much to the arrogant Lord, his fate was now well fixed to Jube.

* * *

Yosai watched tearfully as Rin folded kimono after kimono, leaving some of the pricier and more extravagant behind. Rin somehow felt like she would still owe him something if she took them. "Why is it you cannot tell me where it is you go?" Yosai asked again, her age betraying her will to show no emotions.

"Because I do not know where it is." Another satchel was full so Rin produced another and began packing boots and armor. "I will most likely travel outside of Nippon, see the Northern lands and the smaller Islands below us. Sesshoumaru's father traveled far South when he was young. I read about his adventures with the people there." Rin smiled slightly. "I am only waiting for the physicians to complete the extract. I will most likely need time to heal, but that can be done outside of the palace."

"When, when will you come back?" Rin heard the pain in the question.

"I don't want to see his face again. I will not come back."

"What has his face to do with mine?!" The wind sorceress snarled out frustration.

Rin turned to face the female and wished she hadn't. There was such hurt and confusion that it broke her heart. No doubt when she told Kagome and Inuyasha her plans she would get the same faces. She was going to hurt a lot of people. "It is not-"

There was a knock at the door. "Lady Rin, the physicians call you." Rin ducked her head and took the opportunity to leave Yosai. She followed the servant until she reached the room.

"Lady Rin." The Kitsune physician bowed. Rin returned the favor rather emotionlessly, her eyes glued to the dark green colored liquid in a vial. The extract that would kill her child. Her stomach turned unpleasantly, as if her son could hear her thoughts. "Please, if you would lay here, I just wish to check some simple things before you drink the extract."

Rin laid back and watched as he methodically poked and prodded here and there. Her gut tightened and he made a move that looked like it would be his last before he asked her to drink. Rin's hand moved of its own accord and hit him in the back of the neck. She was moving unconsciously, lifting him up and replacing him where she once was. She went over to the vial and poured it out of a large window, setting the vial down near his desk and licking the rim to place her scent. She was out of the office almost instantly and making her way back to her room. She had to leave quickly, there was now a change of plans.

* * *

It had been two months. Two drastically long months. Somehow this didn't feel the same. It wasn't like before, where he had hatred to feed off of, now he didn't know what he felt. He sincerely believed that they were meant to have a time together, and perhaps it was time to start looking for a suitor, a demoness to bear him an heir. He tried to forget her, taking courtesans he had ordered straight from the Isles. Sometimes two or three to his bed, but they were either not enough or far too much. The way they squeaked and batted their eyelashes became immensely annoying, yet it seemed none were durable enough for him.

He was becoming frustrated with life but more importantly, himself. He knew he carried deep affection for her. It was alright, he reasoned, for the time of being with her to carry these emotions. But now that she was gone, he could not figure out why he could not drop these feelings. They just seemed to stick to him. He wanted to see her, smell her, mate with her again and again, but their time had come to an end. His brain knew this, but it seemed his heart, his damned heart did not want to cooperate.

Sesshoumaru was lying on the leafy ground of his garden, watching clouds as they raced by and counted how many times her name was written in them. "My Lord, a return has arrived from your brother." A maid bowed with a tray out and a parchment lying on the tray. Sesshoumaru found that every female he looked at, regardless of species, he compared to Rin. This one was too thick with plain features and a grating voice. He stood and took the parchment without a word. He had discreetly tried to inquire where she might be, hearing rumors that she had planned to leave Nippon, and his brother had been the first one he had asked; but that had been a while ago.

'_Sesshoumaru, _

_I shouldn't be telling you this, I can't believe I'm telling you this but I think it is best. Do not act immediately after hearing this or I swear by Kami-sama I will kill you. This is her trust I'm betraying.  
She is still pregnant, and planning to have the child. I guess she tricked the physician or whatever happened but, after giving birth she plans to leave Nippon and never come back.  
But there's problems and Kagome doesn't think she'll make it. Neither Rin or the child if she goes through with the birthing. But she won't tell Rin. Rin has grown very …..attached even though it has not been born or given a name.  
Look, I'm not sure what I'm asking you to do, but neither I nor Kagome know how to handle this. It's clear she has moved the affection she had for you to her unborn child, but one of them will most likely die. I can smell it.  
Just do something, okay? Not too fast though, or she'll know I ratted her out._

_-Inuyasha'_

Sesshoumaru reread the letter almost five times, each time trying to picture her face in pain and sweat drenched. It wasn't hard, he had seen her in agony before. But now he wanted to save her from this agony, this pestilence of pain, he wanted to run to Inuyasha's village immediately. Sesshoumaru took a breath and sat down to keep himself from bolting. For once he would heed his brothers words. Rin was not his anymore, he tried to work out in his mind. Nor was he hers, in any sense of the word. He was not hers to serve or obey or even care for in any way. Although it hurt to think of things in that manner, it was the truth. His hand twitched and Sesshoumaru purposefully sauntered into his room and laid on his bed.

However that was before he learned she had his child. That child was his no matter his wishes to discard it and hers to keep it. She had not the authority to chose to disobey him in this matter and that alone was cause enough for him to give her his immediate attention. Sesshoumaru bolted upright in his bed. But then again she didn't know he knew, it was behind her trust that Inuyasha had informed him. He laid back down and turned his head slowly to see a hair pin of hers lying on the pillow beside him. It had been there for almost three months, first with her leaving it there by accident, and then him not wanting it touched, or moved in any manner.

Even his subjects in the West were afraid of his wrath. Servants were careful not to mention her name, maids tried hard to eradicate her scent. Sesshoumaru had been up to his study, a place only Rin was allowed to clean, and her scent had assaulted him so strongly that he immediately turned around and walked back the way he had come. To his chagrin he had not paid attention enough to notice there were maids about and they had taken his reaction as permission to clear out the room. Then next time he had come, anticipating her smell, it was gone. There was nothing that smelled of her any longer, only this hairpin lying next to him. Did things always have to be so drastic between them? Could she just not remain at his side while he took a mate? Sesshoumaru closed his eyes at the thought. He could picture Rin standing above his bloodied, pregnant mate, jealousy wild in his ward's eyes. He opened his eyes again. Perhaps not.

This was a serious matter. One that needed serious contemplation, and diligence. How could he save her? He had saved her life so many times, the memories just flashed through his head like one long blurred image. But it was the child killing her, almost like a piece of himself killing her from the inside out. It had been for a different purpose, but now he wished she had obeyed his orders, now more than ever. Her body must not compatible with a youkai offspring. He sighed and tried to find a solution. One came to his mind, it hurt but, his duty as Lord of the West, that came before all.

* * *

Inuyasha heard the messenger before he smelled or saw him. The hanyou swept out to meet him before he came too close to the house. Once the message was delivered the youkai left without a word. Inuyasha jumped up one of the taller trees into the blinding sunlight and opened the wax seal. He had sent his letter only a few days before and honestly didn't know if he had been expecting a response.

'_Inuyasha,_

_Rin is no longer my ward, or even a part of the West. She forfeited any privileges of my protection or concern. I will admit it pains me to say this, but her death will be a significant loss to me.  
Should she survive and the child born, I will excuse its presence under the guise that nor she or the child return to Nippon.  
Should either of them return during my lifetime, I will have them hunted until killed._

_-Sesshoumaru Inutaisho of the West_

Inuyasha dropped the letter until it feathered down into the thick branches of the tree. His stomach twisted in knots and his throat became thick. What the fucking hell?! Sesshoumaru could not be serious. He could not possibly be dismissing Rin's very existence in such a short twist of time. Inuyasha collected the paper and ran back to Kagome in a swift daze. He found her pounding leaves into yet another salve she was hoping would save Rin. Without a word he handed her the paper while he paced around the room. There was a solution to this, one that did not involve losing Rin to either death or another entire land. He watched as Kagome read the letter and her mouth dropped first in astonishment, then horror.

"He cannot be serious." She said breathlessly, trying to keep her voice down since Rin was down the hall and her hearing as good as any youkai's.

Inuyasha shrugged with exaggerated cynicism. "Sure he is. He's a cold, heartless, assholish, bastard."

"A bastard?" Rin waddled into the room closing the shoji behind her. Kagome, swift as lightning, tucked the parchment into her apron, hoping It didn't crinkle.

Rin winced as a pain shot through her very extended belly. "Rin." Inuyasha admonished as he helped her sit down against a wall. He opened the porch shoji to allow the view.

"Sorry for intruding, I just didn't want to be alone." She explain with a strained smile. Her face was glowing with all the health pregnancy usually gave females, but Inuyasha smelt the decay. Of what he wasn't sure, but something was dying. "Who is the bastard?"

Kagome tried to laugh naturally. "You know Inuyasha, everyone is a bastard." Inuyasha huffed and sat across from Rin. "I just hope he doesn't use that kind of language in front of our children." She shot him a pointed look.

"Eh." He responded lying out as Kagome continued making her salve.

Rin chuckled, her hand rubbing her belly. "Another few weeks. I can hardly wait, I'm so excited." Her eyes shone and indeed she did look excited. Kagome tried to smile wide for her but she felt her eyes tearing up.

"I'll be right back." Kagome ducked out and Inuyasha kept from looking at her. He could smell her tears. Something had to be done.

He sat up slowly looking at Rin intensely. She looked back. "Inuyasha, is something wrong?"

He moved closer and sniffed at her belly, instantly her hands wrapped around as if to shield, but he moved them and continued sniffing. His eyes rose to meet hers. "Rin, something's wrong. With the child I mean."

"My child?" She tried to sniff her own stomach but smelt noting out of the ordinary. "I can't smell anything."

Inuyasha shook his head and looked away. "We should have Kagome check it out."

"But she has been giving me salves to make sure everything is fine." Her voice started to rise in pitch as she panicked.

"I know, I know. " The hanyou stood and walked toward the door. "I'll just go get her so she can see what is wrong."

Rin sighed and pushed herself up to her feet. She wandered over to the porch to appease her mind with the serenity of nature. A surge went through her stomach and she muffled the groan of pain. Lately that had been happening more and more often and for some reason, she couldn't bring herself to tell Kagome. Like telling her would make the suspicions in the back of her head come true. She sighed again and turned to go back into the room. Maybe she turned to hard, she thought as Rin gasped and fell to the floor. A cracking sound reverberated in her ear and a breeze blew a smell into her nose. Decay, so light she thought she smelt it but couldn't smell it anymore. She sat up but a horrible feeling was coming up and out of her throat. Pushing, something was trying to push its way out of her.

Rin tried to keep herself calm but a scream forced its way out of her. She clamped down on her muscles too keep her child from coming out far too soon. "Kagome!" She screamed again when a cramp threw her on her back. Inuyasha was there almost instantly with Kagome as well.

"Inuyasha! She's bleeding!" Kagome yelled racing around and flinging sheets and large fabrics at the hanyou that tired to place them under Rin as the blood leaked out of her in large quantities. "She can't keep bleeding like that!" Kagome yelled running back with a poultice.

"I know dammit!" The hanyou moved away as Kagome tried to calm Rin enough where she could get her to open her legs. The Miko gasped.

"What is it?" Rin asked anxiously.

"Rin the child is coming." Kagome said.

Inuyasha's head snapped as his nose told him what he had feared. The child was already dead and had been dead for some time. "Kagome." He warned.

Kagome nodded her head mutely and tried to keep her face straight. Rin's body had killed the child in what looked like an early stage of pregnancy. With the child festering inside of her, she had become sick until her body decided to expel it. Rin screamed as a contraction forced more of the child out. Kagome had to steel her stomach, the smell made her want to vomit. Wrapping her hands around the dead thing, Kagome forced the rest of it out and cut the shriveled cord as close to Rin as possible. She wrapped the child immediately and hurried out of the room.

"Kagome!" Rin screamed, not understanding. Her nose told her something was dying, or dead, but she didn't want to believe it was her son. "Kagome." She whispered coming out more like a sob. Inuyasha was there, near her head, brushing the hair out of her face and restraining her as she tried to stand up. When she suddenly stopped moving the hanyou became worried. He nudged her and called her name but it wasn't until the pool of red appeared that he understood.

"Kagome!" He yelled racing to get her. She was outside near the house watching the swathed dead burn. He grabbed her and ran her back to the room. "She's still bleeding."

She gasped and tried to wipe the blood away and press it to Rin to staunch it but it was coming out too fast. "Something must have torn." The horror in her voice made Inuyasha anxious.

"Well can't you just mend it?"

"If her body is not already doing it there must be a good reason. She needs more blood or she'll die. I don't have the equipment here for this Inuyasha." She barely whispered.

"Well who the fuck-?" His eyes widened and then narrowed. "Come on get more sheets and put a cloak on." He bundled Rin up in his arms and Kagome stuffed more sheets to keep the blood from soaking into him. Kagome jumped on his back as he took off through the porch. The trek would be dangerous because of the smell of her blood, but he was going to have to push himself to get her there before she drained out.

* * *

Sesshoumaru was in his study pouring over old texts full of family lineages. He supposed now was a good time to find a demoness to court. The only problem was the he had, at some point, met all of the Western nobles and was not attracted to any of their daughters. He did not want a mate outside of the West but he supposed he would have to find an attractive one. The Eastern Nobles were more inclined to decadence, since Nanjo believed good food and sake would solve everything. He supposed if there were any females inclined to be attractive, there would be the place to look.

He heard footsteps begin running around and soon it seemed there was a small commotion as maids and servants hurried in one direction. "Find the Master!" He heard yelled as feet came flying up the steps and a knock was swiftly pounded. Sesshoumaru was out and down the stairs before the servant opened his mouth.

"What is this about?" He asked walking toward the noise as those in the corridors made way for him. When he recognized certain scents his walk quickened. He found blood on the floor, a mixture of Rin's and his brothers. He followed into the infirmary. He stopped suddenly to see Rin laid on an elevated pallet with Kagome over her directing his physicians about. His brother, he noticed, was in the corner bleeding from, what looked like an attack but was very much alive. Rin, she looked like death, white, pale and still, with a lingering scent of decay.

Kagome turned to see him standing there. "Sesshoumaru!" She ran and grabbed him pulling him into the room as he just blinked at Rin's still form. Why was it that just the sight of her this way made him want to curl into a ball? Made him want to destroy everything and anyone who could not bring her back to normal. Made him want to shake her and tell her until she understood that she could not leave him. He didn't feel the prick as Kagome shoved a rather large tube into his arm with a smaller one into Rin's chest just above her heart. She pushed him until he was standing just above her head. Kagome ran back and slammed the shoji door closed with the physicians on the other side. She removed the blood soaked cloths covering Rin as she applied a paste to her fingers. She began searching inside her friend until she found the laceration. Kagome stepped back and washed her hands in a basin full of steaming water. Fatigue seemed to wash over the priestess as she walked up to where Sesshoumaru was watching Rin. She was regaining color already.

Inuyasha sat in a corner, his left eye bloodied from trying to defend both she and Rin while a wolf youkai attacked him. He hadn't been able to do much but take the brunt of it and push himself to outrun the aggressor. Kagome promised herself to lather him with affection as soon as she was sure Rin was alright. Without paying much attention to Sesshoumaru she began to remove the metal tube that was acting like needle from his arm. She held it up, making sure the rest emptied into Rin, and slowly removed it from the younger as well. She threw the objects into the basin and all the soiled sheets into a furnace at the end of the long room.

"She needs to be changed and bathed, lots of rest and…she might not be able to stand for a while. Don't let her overexert herself or it might open up again." Kagome directed toward the silent Lord as she helped Inuyasha up.

"Wait." He said turning to her for the first time. "You are leaving her here?" He seemed anxious and any other time it would have made Kagome smile.

"She has just lost her son, your son. She needs to be here. She does not belong in our village, or anywhere else for the matter. I know what you feel is your duty to your empire, but understand what is your duty to your heart," Kagome sighed. "and to her's." Her eyes looked to the sleeping, seemingly youkai, female there. "She belongs with you, Sesshoumaru. Just be happy." The Miko shrugged and Inuyasha grunted, trying to stay conscious. "I'm going to take him a to a guest room. We'll be gone before noon." With that Kagome left, leaving Rin to stand beside his ward.

Her words repeated themselves through his head. He had a duty to her heart? Since when did anything other than his empire mean anything? When did he begin to that feel he didn't care about tradition, as long as she was happy? When did these emotions start? This was how his father had described it. He didn't want to follow those same footsteps, but a piece of him, growing by the minute, just didn't care. He wanted her to smile and moan and laugh all for him. He wanted children from her. She was…..powerful. Much more than any demoness he could think of, more than any demon he could think of. She was well educated, witty, intelligent, strategic and thorough. And a dowry? She had none. She had nothing that he had not given her. But he had everything. He had always given her everything she wanted; it was a silent joy of his. Why would this be any different? Why could he not continue to give her everything she wanted. Because it did not follow protocol? She was beautiful, more than anything or anyone he had ever seen. Perhaps he was biased. He would ask Nanjo if there were more beautiful youkai in his land. If there was, then he would consider a different mate, but if there wasn't?

* * *

Rin awoke to a fresh smell, it was familiar to her, it felt like she was home. This was a problem. She sat up quickly and her world spun. "Lady Rin, you must be much more careful. You have just recovered from a terrible ordeal, please take a moment to get your bearings." Some hands pushed her back down. Rin opened her eyes to see the palace midwife at her side. A pain in her chest opened so suddenly she felt she was being sucked in. She had lost her child, she had killed her son.

Tears fell down her face and she wondered why she wasn't more saddened by the fact. Something whispered to her that she had known this. All those pains she had kept from Kagome, she had only been doing that so she wouldn't have to hear it. Hear that no matter what, Sesshoumaru was going to get his wish, she wasn't going to have her child. His name brought more tears, hot angry ones to her face. Why did he have to hurt her so? Rin pushed herself up slowly. "How long have I been asleep?"

"Perhaps a week or so." The youkai female answered.

"Kagome and Inuyasha?"

"Oh Master Inuyasha and the Lady left some time ago."

"Did they say if they were returning for me?" The midwife shook her head and Rin sighed. She had known that. They obviously felt she would do better to stay here. Well she wasn't. She slid her feet to the floor and tested her ability to stand. It felt silly. She didn't feel that there was anything wrong with her body and she was quite rested. She was out of the room, down the corridors to her room in almost no time. It was disconcerting to see everything she had packed and moved, back where it had been before. Like her leaving had never happened. She went to her closet to retrieve a long black kimono with white on the very ends. She felt to mourning her nameless son. Rin decided after she was sure she was well, she was going to leave for the lands outside of Nippon.

Rin left her room, intending to walk on the posterior terrace, where the soldiers practiced, when she smelled him walking toward her. In a panic she took a detour down the next hall and rushed forward to realize that it only led to his room. Rin spun around to see him standing there looking at her with such an odd expression. Like she was acting strange for no reason whatsoever. It angered her, no, it infuriated her. Rin swallowed her rage breathing it out of her nose like she had been taught. She bowed and began to walk the way she had come, hoping to Kami he would shift so she could ease around him. He did, unfortunately he followed her all the way to the terrace, his long strides creating a rhythm that should have been soothing. To Rin it was grating and she wished he would leave her in peace.

"Do you plan on ignoring me like some common urchin?" He asked politely.

Rin could feel her self control breaking. "Yes." She bit out acerbically.

"That is impossible and you know it." He replied promptly, all the smugness of his male arrogance smothered into the reply. Rin took a calming breath. "Rin, stop acting like a child."

She broke. Within seconds her claws were aiming for his neck. The Lord leapt back. He had known she needed an outlet for her fury and he would be the only one who could contest her and live, in the state she was in. He moved methodically as she tried as hard as she could to kill him. As he leapt out into the training field, his men stopped and took refuge out of the way. Rin picked up the fist weapon her hands touched, a large stone spear.

"You bastard! You heartless, selfish, bastard!" She swung at him with so much power the force of the air around it moved him. Rin had always been taught to never fight with her emotions at the forefront. Even now, enraged, she did not attack blindly, but rather predicted his movements and tried to counter them before he even acted. Her only problem was that Sesshoumaru was and always would be, faster and stronger than she was. He caught her wrists, twisting until she dropped the spear. She tried to knee him but he just crushed her smaller frame to his. She struggled on but he was moving swiftly around the palace to his garden.

Sesshoumaru fell against the stone fountain as Rin tried to force his arms open and beat on his chest at the same time. She yelled and cried unintelligible things, but he always picked up the phrase 'I hate you'. He ran his claws through her hair as she gave up trying to kill him and just cried. His arm wrapped around her waist to calm her shuddering form as she slid down his chest. He rubbed her back and her hair, quieting her. He sighed audibly.

"What is you want Rin?"

Rin was quiet a moment. "What?" She asked into his chest.

"What is you want Rin?" He whispered into her ear. "I will give you anything you want just don't--don't leave me again." Sesshoumaru felt her chest stop moving and she slowly looked up into his eyes. Hers widened at his slightly wet gold pools. His clawed hands were gentle as they traced her face down to her neck. "Don't leave me again."

* * *

**[A/N] So in regards to my next fic, I'm debating between an Naruto Shippuden yaoi, Naru x Sasu / Neji x Gaara or a rendition of an incomplete work (with permission of course) of Yu Yu Hakusho, Kurama x Hiei again. Let me know which you think is better ne? Make sure you review!!**


	18. Epilogue

**[A/N] This epilogue is only for those who wanted it. Thank you so much for reading. Love you all. 3**

* * *

**Ningen Impossibilities**

Rin's nose tickled slightly and her first conscious awareness was the wonderful smell of the breeze streaming through the garden into their room. She opened her eyes slowly and a smile began to overtake her features. There, laying with his head neatly tucked under her chin and in her bosom was Sesshoumaru. Rin had noticed ever since their mating that he had become more and more relaxed, whereas before he would pick a spot to sleep in and would not move. Now one of his legs was over hers and his hair was sprawled over the bed to create miss happened silver pools. She gazed down at her mate in one of the few times she ever caught him sleeping. His face looked so young and serene it touched her heart and forced her to fall in love all over again. And then his dark silver lashes were fluttering and one golden orb peeled from its sleepy confinements to gaze back at her. Slowly he pushed himself up to rest on his arms hovering over her. He didn't move his legs or try to fix his hair, just him completely and utterly vulnerable with no shields or barriers to break through. And for a long glorious moment they did nothing but look into each other's eyes and confirm their love.

Until a huge explosion sounded right outside their room, way too close for comfort. Sesshoumaru's eyebrows twitched and he was up in an instant, a robe already wrapped around him as he strode for the garden doorway. "I swear if any one of those wretched offspring has destroyed my garden…" He faded as he stalked out to assess the damage. Rin briefly considered staying in bed, but her mate reappeared with a determined look on his face.

She watched silently as he dressed with unusual malice. "Love, what are you doing?" She asked neutrally.

"I am going to kill that miserably, pathetic hanyou brother of mine. It is his fault for ever siring that incorrigible little half-breed." He opened a large armoire, took out Tokkijen, unsheathed it halfway for inspection before slamming it back into the sheath and gliding out the door. Rin decided she had better dress, and soon.

* * *

Sesshoumaru sat, wondering to himself how this could have happened. No one had ever told him having offspring would be so challenging; he had never been such a problem for his father. He exhaled slowly and brought a small clump of rice to his mouth via ornately decorated chopsticks. He and his mate sat at the head of the long black table. Growls were erupting in front of him as the sounds of fighting chopsticks filled the air. There had been one last piece of trout sushi and a fight had ensued over it. Of course now there was a pile of trout sushi but the fight for that one had not yet stopped.

His youngest child Seirin was, oddly and confusingly, more masculine than her older brother Shohounmaru. With a strong sense of rebellion she kept her wavy silver locks short, never straying past her ears and always close to her neck. Shohoun on the other hand had obsidian hair longer than his father's that he kept in a long braid that swayed down to his calves. He was a spitting image of his father, but longer lashes and fuller lips lent a feminine quality to him that his sister didn't acknowledge in her own spitting image of her mother. Seirin was currently locked in a battle of strength against her rival-since-birth while her brother sat back and watched with amusement.

"Teme," She growled out across the table to the Izayois.

Sesshoumaru felt his temples pulsing, his brother's cursed children. Why was it that both the Miko and Rin had always to be pregnant around the same time? Locked in battle with her was Kazemaru, while his younger sister Midochi giggled over the spectacle.

Rin sighed hiding her grin behind a bowl of soup. Her eyes slanted toward her mate to find his closed, most likely searching for inner peace. No words were exchanged between the combatants. Kaze, her nephew had silver hair like his father that ended at his lower back with sharp silver hanyou ears. His one golden eye was visible as his other brown one was hidden by hair he kept there.

Midochi laughed, "Go, go, go!" She cheered on no one in particular as the battle intensified. Her long black hair was always kept in chignons that varied in number and her wide brown eyes were rimmed with a slight pink glow that told of the Shinkon no Tama born into the middle of her chest. Her small frame wiggled about as the chopsticks clashed and the sushi rolled this way and that. Kaze growled and cursed as his chopsticks broke and Seirin was awarded with the sushi. He sat back down after realizing he had been on his knees and tried to ignore the gloating cousin as she enjoyed her sushi a little too much.

"Oi, Ojisan, when are we due to leave? The South is a long run from here." Kaze asked casually, looking past the open shoji doors to the large terrace that faced the South.

Sesshoumaru finally opened his eyes. "I already told you, we are not running there."

Seirin head snapped in his direction. "We're not running there? Why not, Papa?"

The elder resisted sighing and took a long drought of tea. He would have sworn twenty years before that he had patience, but now…. "We are to meet formally with foreigners. It will not do for this country's leader and his family to arrive running like commoners. Presence and perception are key to establishing fruitful relationships between lands." He replied in a monotone voice that gave away his irritation.

"Hmm, anyway Papa and Mama already left. He said he was going to get a palanquin in the East so they arrive in that sort of fashion. Why can't we do that?" Kaze asked.

"That's not bad, ne?" Rin asked looking up to her mate.

He drank from his tea again and sighed softly. "Fine."

"Aww Papa! I don't want to run, can I take the palanquin?" Shohoun whined raking his hands through his bangs, his long lashes flickering in a pout that not even his own mother could resist. His father however…

"Run with your siblings." He stated easily. "I will take the palanquin, I need to be rid of you children." He stood. "Come, Rin."

She smiled up at him, "But I didn't get to drink my tea." Her hand reached for the cup but she was suddenly up and in his arms watching the table walk away from over his shoulder. She briefly saw Shohoun reach over to finish it before they turned the corner and Rin gave a pout.

* * *

It was dark now and they were just entering the South. The rocking motion of the palanquin was just as soothing as it was almost four days ago when the journey had begun. Sesshoumaru looked over to his mate; Rin was staring past a portal into the sky, at the full moon. Her neck was exposed in the moonlight and he could hear her blood pulse up and down the veins there. Going over four days without being able to do more than touch her was taking its toll on him, but he prided himself on self control. Still it was weird to think about the past, even now. He had raised her, created her to be his definition of perfect, how could he have resisted falling for her? She was strong, fast, wise and beautiful. She could be just as merciful as she could be merciless, and most important, she was completely and totally honest and faithful to him and only him. He supposed his father had been right in that old scroll, once he had let down his notions of what had to be, happiness had found him. She used to be the only person he could trust to sleep in front of, to let his guard down, to show just how tired or exhausted he was. But then after mating she had born him a beautiful, full youkai son. At that point he had not thought his world could be any more complete, and then two years later they had Seirin.

Children, he had thought, would be a lot like running a providence. But he was wrong, his brother and his mate had also had two of their own and somehow it had ended up like having four children. Midochi and Kazemaru stayed more at his home than at their own, becoming playmates to his offspring since infancy. It was for them more than himself that he took over all of Nippon. It seemed as if the West was not enough for them, and his own son Shohoun was more delicate of heart than either him or Rin. He had decided that taking over the entire country and unifying it would make it easier for his son to rule in a time of peace, since Shohoun's outlook on life matched that of Mima Nanjo's.

The Middle Province had been easy, more of an agreement than actually taking over, the transition had been smooth. Suzari Sashine would be an ambassador and highly ranked advisor of that land who would report to only Sesshoumaru. Their land had little to no military so transferring allegiance was an inconsequential matter. The same was to be said for the South. Jube had been having trouble quelling small rebellions here and there, by taking the position Sesshoumaru offered him, he kept importance and the Inu swept through and destroyed all rebellious groups completely.

Nanjo had been too busy trying to arrange the largest celebration of birth for young Shohounmaru that he had barely batted a lash at Sesshoumaru's proposal. That had left him with the Northern Province, Underwater, and the Isles, which were still in unrest with the death of Ukaseisho's Lord Rujiro Neidoshida. Because he often forgot about the Underwater province he really hadn't care about Kian's answer. He supposed it was just fate that he had agreed. When it came to the Northern providence, Sesshoumaru smirked and his eyes slid back to Rin as he remembered the cunning his mate had displayed. She had gone to Zenno and challenged him, with the winner keeping the Northern Providence, and of course the battle would be to death. Rin had seemed fully prepared to die for this cause. Seeing her intensity had spurred self preservation and Zenno decided he would rather live as an ambassador than die with Sesshoumaru still keeping his land. The Isles however, had to each be taken forcefully.

So now he was Lord over all of Nippon and was meeting a foreign country to speak of trading and treaties. He wondered if he could feel anymore fulfilled, anymore content. He felt Rin's stare and looked to catch her gaze. "It has been a long four days, my love." She spoke just loud enough to hear and just low enough to spur the tightening in his lower belly. He broke eye contact with her and did not speak. She laughed airily and went back to amusing herself by counting the stars. "You think the children made it safely?"

He could hear the worry in her voice. "You have no need for concern. All of them are strong enough to make the travel alone, they have done so together, they are more than safe." He spoke truthfully. In his opinion there was no one stronger than Seirin or faster than Kazemaru. They both trumped Rin who had yet to have been defeated in those departments by anyone other than himself.

"It's Shohoun I'm worried about. You know his delicate nature. He can't keep up with them." Rin looked over to her mate and Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow.

"You know as well as I do that he has no problem keeping up with them, he is a lazy child, that is the problem." Rin 'humphed' never wanting to believe anything wrong with her children. "If anything he had Kazemaru carry him."

Rin sighed in agreement and leaned her had against his shoulder, the most she could touch him without alerting their entire escort and guard of her need for him. Sesshoumaru looked down at her dark head and his nose filled with her scent. His mind wandered briefly before he could bring it back and he found his cheeks flushing. He slowly pushed her up and took deep breaths of fresh air. Rin wisely bit her lip to keep from laughing and turned towards the portal as well. A long four days indeed.

* * *

Seirin pushed off against a tree, breaking it, with little Midochi perched on her back. The girl giggled "You're so strong, you broke that tree!"

Seirin scoffed. "It was a weak tree."

"No, you just lack a feminine bone in your body." Shohoun laughed at her as he whizzed by her.

"I suppose you call yourself meeting my quota then?" She called back at him.

Kazemaru laughed as he jumped over Seirin and plucked Midochi off her back, throwing her up in the air. The girl gave an indignant cry and formed a small pink disc under her. She flew above them and stuck her tongue out at Kaze. "I'm tired." Shohoun called suddenly stopping on a branch. He didn't have to wait a second as Kaze swooped him up and deposited him on his back.

"You're lazy and disgusting." Seirin sneered as she passed them again. Midochi laughed above them then flew on ahead of them twirling around and around in the air on her disc. Suddenly she stopped and fell before catching herself on a branch. She ran to them and waved her hands, putting a finger to her lips.

"Ojisan's going to be mad at us." She whispered.

"Why?" Shohoun whispered as well.

"We were supposed to get a palanquin back at that town and we're late."

Everyone was quiet for a moment. They were running toward the Easter-Southern border and the last town of the East was a half days run back. "Well if this one hadn't taken for ever to go we would still have time to go back and get the palanquin." Kaze nodded toward Shohoun on his back. The oldest had seen a hot spring and decided a half days soak would help him make the run, which it had, for a day.

Shohoun blushed slightly. "So why are we worried we'll just hurry and get there before Papa."

Midochi shook her head. "They're convoy is right there." She whispered. "They'll hit the border before us."

Kaze cursed and dropped Shohoun off him. "This is all your fault."

The eldest scrunched up his nose and thought. Angering his father was not a smart thing to do, especially when he would be tense from not being able to touch his mother. "We'll have to split up. Seirin you fly with Midochi, I'll take my third form and Kaze will…..find a way, he's Kaze."

"Ugh." Seirin looked at Midochi's slightly glowing pink ring around her eyes. The disk of completely purified power. "Is there any other way?" She asked again, whining.

"Suck it up and thank your brother." Kaze said. "Besides, out of all of us you're the one that can stand it the longest."

Seirin hardened slightly, it was true that she weathered Midochi's powers the most out of all of them, but still she didn't want to do that. "Fine, where are we meeting?"

"That town." Shohoun hurriedly whispered. "Whoever gets there first grab the palanquin and the bearers. Bribe them or whatever so they stay quiet. We don't need Papa on our tails."

They all nodded in agreement and Midochi held up their hand. "They're farther away now, come on Sei." Seirin bit her lip and took Midochi's hand as she leapt up in the sky. She formed her disk and Seirin bore the tingling pain in her feet as Midochi flew high and raced forward until they disappeared out of sight. Shohoun didn't speak just gave Kaze one last look before turning into a ball of light and racing in a large arc around the convoy. Kazemaru slinked to the trees and let his father's teachings of tracking wash over him. He spotted the convoy and kept a wide berth, checking the direction of the wind every so often as he raced around them. It was easy to reach the village once he felt he was out of harm's way. As he expected Shohoun, Midochi and Seirin were already there with the palanquin and it's bearers, but beside them was a problem.

Kazemaru blinked and shot a scathing glance at Shohoun who just looked away. "Greetings, Ambassador Deido." He bowed politely to the amicable young noble.

"Young Kazemaru, it is a pleasure to see you again. I was just asking if your companions here would like to ride with me to the Southern palace?"

"Oh, we can't." Kaze said quickly seeing the problem. They were supposed to arrive at the Southern Palace in a palanquin. "We have reserved a palanquin."

Deido cocked his head to the side. "But there is no need to use one when the palace is only a three hours ride.

"We-we were told to arrive in a palanquin, you know, royal fashion and all." Shohoun offered with a sheepish smile.

"Ohh, I see, yes." Deido smiled, his oddly colored hair swaying slightly. "Well before you leave, please come have a cup of tea with me, I insist, it is my treat." He ushered them to a tea house much to everyone's distress.

Seirin shook her head, "We are so busted." There was a collective sigh as they were sat down for tea with a smiling Jube Deido.

* * *

Sesshoumaru steeled himself with an indifferent mask as their palanquin came to a halt in front of the grand black doors of the Southern Palace. Its walls were high with an open roof and shoji walls. Beside him, Rin's congenial smile stayed put as she was formally assisted from the palanquin before sidling up to Sesshoumaru, a step behind him. Sesshoumaru paused before the guards opened the doors. "Where are the children?" His eyes looked to his left where Tokigechi's eyebrows shot up in ignorance and he bowed low. Sesshoumaru felt himself frowning and corrected it. With his mask back in place he reminded himself to deal with them later, but now he was to set precedence for his country with foreigners that could potentially become friends or enemies. He could feel the eyes of foreign guards, convoys and nobles that had arrived with the officials.

The guards pulled with their might to open the doors and with a huge gust of air, Sesshoumaru and Rin entered. There were slight gasps and hushes of murmurs in a different language that Sesshoumaru was annoyed with ignorance on. He felt Rin's calming presence and felt at peace instantly; that was what her ki did to him. After mating her, he had found himself feeling more at peace than ever before in his life. She was calm and still, like a mountain. Her loyalty was the back bone and foundation for his love for her, and his love was the fruit of her loyalty. They walked down the long aisle with Tokigechi right behind Rin, and following, a plethora of other ambassedors, nobles and guards. There were two large, plush, cushioned mats that they sat themselves on, adorned and scented lightly with the wild flowers that grew around the palace. On either side of them were two more cushions where the children should have been sitting.

"May I present, Lord of Nippon, Sesshoumaru Inutaisho and Lady of Nippon, Rin Inutaisho." When the guards all bowed the foreigners jerkingly followed suit and the two regals bowed slightly, keeping their upright sitting position.

In front of them and to their right were two males. One with hair so red it blazed when the sunlight hit it and another with bright yellow hair that threatened to hurt the eyes. They had pointed ears and strange markings on their arms and faces. The lower halves of their faces were covered by their high stiff collars of their sleeveless tight fitting leather vests, strapped on by several belts and ending at the naval. An important looking man adorned in jewlary stood and with a sweeping hand, gestured to the sitting young males. "May I present, the princes of Dokchinali, Hin Dara Kae Bok and Jak Dara Kae Bok." He spoke fluently in the common language of Nippon. The two, sitting cross legged, bowed from their waist and the regals once again bowed, to show mutual respect.

"You have such interesting names." Rin spoke kindly, her soft voice filling the large area and her headdress chiming as she moved. "Is there meaning to them?" Her hands were tucked into her sleeves, wrapped comfortably around small daggers. Her kimono of a deep purple, pulsed and faded with color as it flowed behind her. Her dark wavy hair was pulled and pushed to a high elegant , and traditional setting with long chimes and pins stuck throughout. She smiled at the young men, her circlet adding to her quiet noble manner as it came to a soft point just over the space between her brows.

"I am the dance of Fire." The red head replied easily, though his expression was lost. "Hin Dara Kae Bok."

"And I am the dance of Storm." The blond one replied, "Jak Dara Kae Bok."

"It is you two, that rule over your land?" Sesshoumaru asked, his face void of expression save for his piercing eyes.

They looked at each other before the red headed one spoke. "We are brothers to the throne, our father is the absolute ruler, but he is on his deathbed. In but a short time, we will become the rulers of our land." There was a pause. "And you two, are the rulers of this entire country?"

Sesshoumaru assessed them for a few seconds. "There are ambassadors and generals, but we are absolute here."

Jak spoke. "Our generals happened upon this country by accident and yet they were detained and treated poorly. We wish to know if that is customary in this land."

"Your generals were an imminent threat to the safety of my children." Rin spoke, she revealed her hand in a slow sweeping gesture. "Pulling up along the coast of my home and attacking my offspring. After detention and an explanation they were set free with gifts and told to never return here." She dipped her head slightly and let her eyes convey the seriousness she had placed on the situation. "Not even one of your men lost their life, a story of success in this country."

"I see," Was the response. "We had not known they had endangered anyone's life. We apologize again, on their behalf." The two bowed and this time there was no return of formality.

Sesshoumaru spoke candidly. "With your coming, my people are now interested in the outside world. However, we pride ourselves on our strength and ability to defend ourselves, so I will ask you this just once; what are your intentions?" There was a moment of silence where the brothers looked at each other and seemed to confirm something. Before they could speak the doors opened once again and the light blinded for a moment before four figures made their way down the aisle.

Shohoun led, his dark black braid swayed down his claves. His hakama ranged from pure ivory near the shoulders down until it was a deep black at his ankles with a black hoari underneath. He wore a golden headband with the West engraved, that thinned as it reached the back clasps. Just beside him was Seirin, her short wavy, silver hair blown in wild disarray. She had a golden band fitted tightly around her neck with the same engraving, attesting to her birthright. She wore white hakama pants and an open hoari; material was wound tightly over her chest. She walked with a gait of easy confidence while her brother seemed more graceful.

Behind them Kazemaru followed closely, one hand resting easily on his katana; above his was Shohoun's. His eye shifted from one side to the other, constantly assessing and assuring. It was his duty to protect Shohoun at all times, even if the male himself cared nothing about it. He wore a plain hakama and hoari of grey with an [over robe] of red flames dancing along the hem that flowed out behind him menacingly. Midochi followed her eyes drawing more attention to herself. She smiled brightly at every one in a friendly sort of daze. Her small form was clothed in a tunic, loose at the top and gathered tightly at the waist with a sash and slits up to the sash. Her tightly fitted white pants ended at her thighs and white soft boots ended at her ankles. On her back was the insignia for purification in white glittering letters and her hair was piled with an array of braids that looked like they came from all directions. The two had no signs of royalty. They bowed at both Sesshoumaru and Rin before sitting in their designated spots; Shohoun and Kazemaru on the right, Seirin and Midochi on the left.

"Presenting heirs Shohoun and Seirin Inutaisho with Chief Retainer Kazemaru Izayoi and Priestess Midochi Izayoi." The bowed when called and only straightened when they were all named.

"Our apologies for the interruptions." Shohoun said kindly, avoiding the eyes of his father and mother.

"Of course," Rin allowed. "Now please, continue with what you were about to say." She gestured to Hin.

Hin's attention was suddenly drawn back and he cleared his throat. He was having a hard time keeping his eyes from the wild looking Seirin. He had no idea what the question was and his train of thought was shot. Jak intervened. "We are not sure what our intentions will be for the country, we came only to assess and clarify, however, we bring no imminent harmful intents."

"What does that mean to me?" Sesshoumaru asked. Not liking the vague way things were worded.

"Think of it as a short term peace agreement."

Seirin scoffed. "For how long? Until you get off our lands? If you have intent for war just say so, you will be given fair time to clear the waters."

Hin's head snapped up to meet hers. "Had we an intention for war this conversation would be taking place over a bloodied field, not diplomatically on your soil at the peril of our lives. I reiterate, we bear no imminent harmful intents."

"Very well, very well." Shohoun's calming voice broke the tension. "Then can we look forward to a returning visit, to prolong the peace or begin trade?"

The two glanced at each other. "We are not opposed to trade." Jak spoke, "but we must speak to our officials."

"How long do you wish to stay? Surely we can have rooms accommodated for you. Please be out guest." Rin suggested. When the two looked at each other and did not speak Rin continued. "As a sign of good faith we will stay here with you. Surely you would like to see, the Summer Solstice festival in the Land of the South."

"There is a festival?" Hin asked.

"A treasured and renowned one. There is no better place to celebrate the summer than in this land of heat." Shohoun interjected smoothly.

They nodded to each other. "Very well, then to show our appreciation." With hand signals, two nobles stood suddenly, carrying chests, and started forward. Kazemaru was up instantly with both his bland and Shohoun's at the neck of both nobles. It happened so fast that they were startled, one almost dropping his chest before he caught himself.

"Kaze," Shohoun reprimanded lightly. "Can you not see they are only bearing gifts?"

Kazemaru lowered his blades. "My apologies." He bowed slightly before returning to his post. Sesshoumaru silently praised him; such fine reflexes and show of power were good. With a slower progression they presented the chests a few feet from the imperial couple. Sesshoumaru signaled to Tokigechi who opened one and took out a clear box with small pink flowers inside that resembled the sakura blossoms. At first glance it looked plain but when he moved the flowers flowed to and fro in the clear liquid that seemed invisible. Rin held out her hand and while Tokigechi brought it to her, the box caught sun light and displayed a marvelous amount of colors on the flowers, turning them all shades of the rainbow.

She gasped. "It is beautiful." She held the box, turning it around and around. She smiled at the young men who ducked their heads in appreciation.

Tokigechi returned to the second chest. Jak spoke. "This gift," He gestured to the unopened chest. "was an important commission of our grandfather. Our father, however, thought it foolish and let it rot in the storage rooms of our palace. We had it newly restored, every detail and thought it a good gift to the Lord of another land."

Tokigechi revealed a scroll of a large size and thickness. Sesshoumaru held out his hand silently and was brought the relic. He gave Rin one end and pulled to see a most fearsome looking creature, drawn with excellent detail in vivid colors of reds, greens and black. He pulled farther and saw as the images changed to shape a story. For a moment he simply pulled at the scroll, Rin making tiny interested noises while he said nothing. At last he let the parchment roll unto itself and sit in Rin's hands, his eyes met those of the young males. The corners of his mouth pulled ever so slightly and he dipped his head in gratitude. "It is a most gracious gift, I thank you."

Both nodded their thanks, their cheeks showing their smiles even if their mouths were hidden. "Obasan?" Rin turned her head toward Midochi. "Can I see your pretty box?" Rin let the girl reach over to collect the box.

"Careful with it, it looks delicate."

Seirin stood, one hand tucked into her open hoari. "If that's all…" She began to walk back toward the doors. Midochi gave a small chuckle and handed Rin back her gift before catching up with Seirin. Sesshoumaru watched them leave and called his son. "Shohounmaru, you will guide them to furnished rooms facing the shore line." He let his eyes drag over to his son, just the slightest glitter of disapproval shone in them.

"Of course Father." Shohoun dipped his head still avoiding eye contact. He could feel the disapproval. Kazemaru did the same, standing immediately while he and Shohoun led the Bok brothers with their guards to the rooms facing the shore.

* * *

Sesshoumaru exhaled harshly. Damn this heat and damn Rin for offering to stay longer than he had planned. It was now after twilight and the sweltering heat had still not subsided. His body felt like the skin was trying to come off and what was worse was that Rin still seemed as unfazed as always. She laid there smiling and giggling with Midochi and some palace cat. Sesshoumaru felt the small pull in the back of his most base instincts to swat at the cat but he didn't even offer it another thought. His eyes were glued on the perfect being that laughed easily with the sun lighting her pale face and dark wavy hair. He did this often; sitting and wondering how his life would have turned out if she had not forced her way into it.

Midochi squealed when the cat swatted at one of her hanging braids catching it with it's claws and giving a tug. Rin laughed and untangled the cat. She handed it to Midochi. "Here, go trim her nails." Sesshoumaru raised a brow at the thought of doing that but said nothing. Rin turned her attention back to him when Midochi left. "Still feeling hot and bothered, my Lord?" She whispered with silly smirk.

Sesshoumaru felt his mouth tug up in a way that had begun to feel familiar when he was around her. "Perhaps." Rin crawled closer to him. "I do not suggest you try to remedy it, lest you wish to be indisposed for the rest of the day." Rin paused at his deadpan. Years had taught her that he rarely bluffed.

She stood suddenly. "Then I'll find Yosai and take a bath." She looked back at his intense stare as a knock resounded on their door along with Tokigechi's voice.

"My Lord and Lady, the festival will begin shortly, are you both decent?" Rin sighed and pulled on a robe. She opened the door and walked past him to the bath. Tokigechi sputtered not sure what to say to her late appearance. He looked at his Lord still on the futon completely unready to go anywhere. But the dog demon wasn't looking at him, but the retreating figure of the only thing that had managed to penetrate his heart. His love, his life, his everything Rin.

"Let those children wait. I wish to take a bath. " And with that he followed the same path taken by his Lady.

Tokigechi sighed. They would not be dressed and presentable for some time.

* * *

**[A/N] Yep, thus the long, LONG awaited ending. Now this chapter might be looked at as a really mean cliffy but please know that was not my intentions. Although I wanted to introduce new characters, the focus was closing up Sesshy and Rin's relationship. Now I might do a sequel, short and full of angst, on Kazemaru and Shohoun's life, but then again I might not. Please review and tell me what you thought. Also thank you to everyone who helped, offered opinions and often supported me through this. It's been a pleasure.**

**Villagefox.**


	19. Not a chapter just an info update!

**[A/N] YOO THIS IS NOT A CHAPTER! **

**This is just an update I decided to do after a while just to make sure I covered all my bases. So while I am writing the sequel to this I was suddenly inspired to actually create a plan to the Western Palace and it's immediate surroundings. Now when you view this be mindful that my imagination and my newly acquired skill of creating architecturally correct structures were at war so things **_**may**_** not seem exactly how you envisioned, according to my writing. I did do my best. **

**Now around the feudal era, if I am not mistaken, long, winding and often completely superfluous corridors were all the rave so I tried to channel this as best I could. I cut if off way before my vision of the palace's surrounding land ends, so imagine that the training grounds continue on until you reach a small bout of forestry that stops at the cliffs of the Western Land, nothing but ocean after that. The same for Sesshoumaru's garden. I didn't include the brocade around the palace or any minor details like furniture, but I do hope this inspired a vision in you all. Please go check it out, the link is on my profile, and drop me a comment. **

**Oh! And I am currently working on the sequel, a yaoi, called 'Youkai Misconceptions'. It'll be short, I don't see more than 20K or so.**

**I may do a second floor plan to the Western Palace, if anyone is interested. Or if there is anything else you would be interested in seeing illustrated? Let me know.**

**Love you guy.**

**Ciao,**

**VillageFox**


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